Family Holiday
by Cehsja
Summary: Connor is upset when the other staff don't notice their conversations are upsetting Abby, so he makes it his business to comfort her and find out what's really wrong. Was a oneshot, but now expanded due to the begging of SandyLee Potts.
1. Chapter 1

Most of the time, Connor rather liked Jenny: he respected her, thought she was a good leader and probably even a good friend. This, however, was _not _one of those times. He felt his fists clenching at his sides as he glared at her and willed her to just _shut up, _but Jenny didn't seem to sense his anger towards her as she chattered on about the family vacation Lester was letting her take next week.

It was just after noon and the team was in the staff room. Jenny was sat at a table with Lorraine and Abby, Nick was fetching his lunch from the fridge, and Connor was standing at the counter waiting for the kettle to boil. It wasn't the fact that Jenny was going on vacation that bothered Connor so much, nor even the fact that she was unintentionally bragging about it. He knew she was just excited.

It was the way she kept on in detail about her little speech to Lester, the one that had finally made him give her the time off. Apparently Jenny'd memorised what she'd wanted to say the night before, throwing in tidbits about how important family was, how much her parents had done for her as a child and how she owed it to them to spend time with them still now that she was an adult, how she missed them like crazy, how she hadn't seen her brother in six months, etc, etc, etc.

She'd succeeded in winning Lester over to her side, but Connor couldn't care less. The more she went on about family, the angrier he became. He tried to tell himself that Jenny didn't know what she was doing, but the only thing that was registering was the way Abby's shoulders were slumped and the way she'd been uncomfortably staring into her bowl of soup for the last five minutes.

He'd tried to change the subject a couple of times, but it'd somehow gone right back each time. She was relating some anecdotes from previous vacations when Cutter laughed and said it reminded him of something that'd happened on one of his family vacations once and launched into that story. Connor could've killed him. Did _no one _else notice that Abby was upset?

Connor knew he shouldn't do it, that he had no right to touch her, but as squeezed behind the back of her chair and the counter, hot cocoa in hand, to reach the empty seat beside Abby, he gave her a quick reassuring squeeze on her shoulder. Abby finally looked up from her soup and gave him a weak smile, before seeming to snap out of her thoughts a little bit. She straightened her shoulders and ate a spoonful of soup while giving a little chuckle at Nick's story and then asked him for more details. Connor wasn't fooled though; the light in her eyes was still missing.

"So what about you, Abs? What was your favourite family vacation?" Lorraine asked, quite efficiently adding herself to Connor's mental list of people he wanted to punch.

"Camping, we went every year," Abby responded quickly. Too quickly, Connor thought. Surely the others would notice the way she fiddled with her beaded bracelet and know she was lying. Despite how angry he was feeling at the moment, there was a tiny flash of pleasure and pride that ran through him because it was, after all, the bracelet that _he'd _given her last Christmas and he _did _rather love the fact that she never seemed to take it off. She'd even kissed his cheek when she'd unwrapped it.

"Oh! Camping is the best!" Jenny eagerly agreed, "Did you have an RV or a tent?"

"Tent," Abby responded quickly, flashing the group a smile before standing and excusing herself. She mentioned something about wanting to make a phone call and ducked out of the room.

Connor didn't stay either. He gave her a few minutes, just in case the phone call story was true, and poured out her soup, washing the bowl she'd left behind before heading off to find her. He tried her lab first, and when he found that she wasn't there he headed towards the ladies' toilets. He knocked tentatively and when there was no reply he hesitantly poked his head around the corner. "Abs?"

"Go away, Connor," the reply came immediately from the far stall.

Connor entered quickly and locked the door behind himself. "Abs, please come out," he begged her. "It's just me as is here and I've locked the door."

He actually expected her to refuse and was debating with himself as to whether or not crawling under the stall door was a good idea, but the door suddenly opened and before he could react he found a sobbing Abby clutching at his chest. Instinctively he wrapped his arms around her, wondering vaguely if she'd always been so tiny. It was five minutes before either of them said anything; Abby was crying to hard and Connor didn't know what to say.

Finally Abby wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and pushed back from him just enough that she could see his face and offer him a weak smile. "Connor, you shouldn't be in here."

"Sure I should, I should always be with you when you're upset, even if it is in a ladies' toilet."

Abby buried her face into his chest again for a moment but Connor didn't think she was upset or crying this time. It was more like she just needed to hide for a moment as she composed herself and he let her. When she looked back at him she was shaking her head and her eyes were shining again, partly with laughter. "You weren't even supposed to know I was upset, Con. You know me too well."

Connor watched her in silence, not sure how to respond to that and, now that it seemed she didn't need to be comforted anymore, suddenly realising just how close they were. His hands had somehow come to rest on her hips when she'd pulled back a bit and she wasn't at all trying to push him away. "Abby," he whispered and then stopped.

"I know," she whispered back. "Connor, wanna know something weird?"

He nodded encouragingly and she continued. "What's weird is that it doesn't bother me, doesn't scare me, that you know me that well. In fact, it's oddly comforting."

Connor pressed his forehead against hers seriously, pushing aside his joy at that comment for another time, "Abby, tell me why the conversation was upsetting you so much."

"You already know that, Connor."

"I can guess, Abs, I know your family life wasn't good but I meant more specifically."

He heard Abby sigh and he wondered if she might actually tell him something for once rather than just the vague hints she usually gave when he asked about her family. To hs disappointment, they were suddenly interrupted by a loud banging on the door.

Abby pulled away from him quickly, "C'mon, Con, you really aren't supposed to be in here and I think someone needs the toilets."

"Abby..." Connor said, standing still, routed the ground.

Abby hesitated and then slipped her hand into his, "Not here." She tugged at his hand and this time Connor followed her, with the intentions of not letting go of her until she talked.

As they stepped out of the bathroom, the lab tech on the other side of the door darted inside, stopping just long enough to eye Connor and give Abby an amused smirk, which was quickly wiped from her face by the glare of death that Abby gave her in return. Connor felt a bit smug about the fact that he wasn't the only one Abby could scare with just a look.

"Where're we going, Abs?" he asked as soon as they were out of earshot. He walked close to her so that his entire arm was pressed against hers and she seemed to be leaning on him a little bit.

"Lester's office."

"What?" Connor halted in his tracks, forcing Abby to stop too. "Abby?"

"Only room without cameras and I don't want anyone watching to see that I'm in a bad mood."

"Okay, but how're you gonna get rid of the boss?"

"He's at a meeting with the minister today,remember?"

"Right," Connor said, letting her lead the way again and wondering how she was planning on getting in.

To his surprise, the door wasn't locked. Connor frowned. "Does Lester _always _leave his office open?"

Abby nodded, "He keeps any personal items locked up in cabinets, but it's always open in case we need access for whatever reason."

"Abby, how do you_ know_ this stuff?"

Abby grinned, "Okay it's supposed to be top secret, but it's where he hides the treats for the mammoth and I'm expected to make sure he gets one daily if Lester's not around for some reason."

Connor raised an eyebrow, "You'd think that after the creatures and the anomalies, I'd have lost the ability to be surprised by things like this... but apparently that's not the case."

Abby giggled as she led him to the black leather sofa in the corner of the office. She gestured for Connor to sit and then plopped herself down beside him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Okay," she said, "There isn't really much to tell Con. I can't describe for you a horrible family vacation that made me hate such things, because I've never had a family vacation. We never did _any _of the things that families are supposed to do together. When I was growing up, the term family vacation meant you got to take a vacation from your family, and trust me, that was always a joyous occasion. I remember when my friends went on vacations, I was always so jealous. They'd go on about it all excited like, and Jenny just brought up that feeling again. I wanted so badly for my dad to tell me he wanted to take us somewhere special, they wanted to spend time with us, but the truth was that they didn't. We were nothing but a nuisance to them and they avoided us whenever possible. Looking back on it, I should be glad we never went on a trip together. It would've been a disaster spending all that time together. There was enough yelling and fighting as it was. My dad was better than my mum at least. He ignored us completely, he told me to keep my brother out of his hair and he'd stay out of mine, like that was a good deal or something, but I didn't _want _him to ignore me. Secretly I craved his attention more than anything. My mum though, she used to threaten me, she'd intentionally hurt me. I remember her offering to brush my hair once when I was about seven and she purposely ripped out big chunks of it by the roots. I was screaming and Jack was cowering in the corner. My dad was watching tv and ignoring us all. She hit me all the time, she'd bathe me in scalding hot water and if it wasn't that it was icy cold. I was actually scared of her and every night I'd go to bed hoping that my dad would notice and help me, but he never did. She finally left us when I was thirteen and I continued to raise Jack on my own while dad ignored us both. Family vacations, ha! I was lucky if he'd remember I existed long enough to give me money for groceries, let alone offer to take a trip with us."

Connor silently kissed Abby's hair when she stopped talking. When she looked up at him, he kissed her lips too. He didn't really mean to, but he wanted to offer her so much more comfort than he knew how to express in words or any other way and he was emotional enough it just happened. Abby seemed to understand because she didn't punch his lights out. Instead she smiled at him and cuddled further into his side. "Thanks," she said. If it wasn't for the emotion of the moment, Connor would have laughed at the fact that Abby was thanking _him _for kissing her.

"Abs," he ventured hesitantly after a few moments of silence, an idea forming suddenly, "What about Rex?"

Abby looked at Connor, puzzlement on her face. "What about him?"

"Well, we don't want him to go through that, do we? I mean, I know you'd never hurt him, but we wouldn't want poor Rex to think his parents didn't love him, yeah? What about me and you take Rex on our own family vacation?"

He knew that Abby would read between the lines, that she'd understand what he was really asking: Whether she could consider him family, whether he could give her what she so badly needed, but he phrased it the way he did to make it easier for her to answer either way. She could tell him the idea was dumb without hurting him, because they both knew that it was silly to think Rex needed a vacation, or she could accept it and be safe because he hadn't really asked her to commit to anything yet, just a baby step, for Rex's sake.

He could see the wheels turning in her head and then her face lit up with a smile and she nodded eagerly, "I'd like that, a lot. Of course it'll take some research to find a place safe and private enough for Rex to join us that will still be relaxing and fun, but you'll come up with something."

"Me?" Connor asked, relieved that she'd agreed but knowing better than to let on how he was feeling just yet.

"Sure, it was your idea. I don't really mind where we go, I just have one request."

"What's that?"

Abby grinned at him,"For once, I want to be the one coming back bragging. Our family vacation is gotta be _way _better than Jenny's."

And with that she quickly kissed his cheek and excused herself from the room, calling over her shoulder for him to let her know what he came up with so she could pack.


	2. Chapter 2

**Dedicated to SveaR and SandyLee Potts who absolutely insisted this can't be a one-shot... so here's chapter 2 and yes there'll be more coming. **

He'd gotten away with it far too easily, really, Abby mused to herself as she crumpled up the piece of paper she was writing on and tossed it into the bin. It'd been too natural, too perfectly in the moment, and too much of what she'd needed for her to protest when he'd kissed her.

If she could go back in time she'd have… well to be honest she'd do everything the same, but that didn't stop her from fretting a bit about it now. Mostly she worried that Connor would assume he could kiss her again whenever he wanted to just because she'd let him do it once. If he tried again she'd have to put a stop to it and that would probably really hurt him and disappoint him. After everything he'd done for her, she really didn't want to do that to him.

She _couldn't _do that to him, she realised as she pictured his disappointed expression in her mind. She'd never felt for anybody the way she did for Connor. No one else could have convinced her to tell them her secrets. She'd never felt like anyone had ever really understood her until he'd somehow magically known that she was upset and needed him right then. She refused to hurt him this time, even if that meant she wound up taking a risk on him that could leave her more hurt herself than she'd ever been in her life.

Family. That's what he'd said. They were family now, him and her. Sorta. They weren't related and they weren't married and their kid was a lizard, but maybe that didn't matter. Connor'd given her everything in the world when he'd asked her to go on holiday with him, phrasing it purposefully so that she could safely accept _him _without losing dignity or the protective walls she'd put up around herself. She'd always assumed that it was impossible for anyone to do that for her.

Abby glanced up as Rex suddenly came floating down from the rafters and landed beside her. She smiled and tickled the lizard's chin affectionately. "What do you think, Rex?" she asked. "You think Connor's right? You think we're a family?"

Rex gave a little chirrup and Abby giggled, letting herself completely relax around the lizard. "Yeah, I think he's right too. Only families, real proper ones I mean, they love each other don't they? Well we both love you of course, but do me and Connor love each other? And is it okay if we do?"

Rex made another chirp and Abby grinned. "Yep, you're right Rex, thanks."

Connor sighed where he stood listening from the loft and wished he knew what Abby thought Rex had replied.

* * *

Connor had booked the time off work for right after Jenny's holiday. He figured he'd have something sorted by then, so he was a bit worried when it was the day before and he _still _hadn't found a resort or anything that would be okay for Rex to come with them. There were a couple hotels that allowed pets in the room, but he didn't think Rex would be overly thrilled with the prospect of hanging about in a hotel room all day while he and Abby did other stuff and he wasn't sure how much Abby would expect him to pretend the holiday was all about the lizard's feelings in order to protect hers.

So far he'd told Abby only that the trip was a surprise, to keep her off his case, but he was a right mess as he stayed up until he fell asleep with his laptop still open on the pillow beside him while trying to find the perfect spot. Why was it so stressful planning a relaxing holiday anyway?

In the end though, it was the laughing green woodpecker that gave him the perfect idea just on time. He'd woken up bright and early (five in the morning on a day off, but he chose to pretend he hadn't seen the clock) due to the sun streaming through the window and lighting up the rafters and the woodpeckers distinct laugh coming in through the window. It was peaceful and energetic at the same time and, despite having had very little sleep, he suddenly felt like he couldn't stay in bed a moment longer on such a beautiful morning. Some days were just too lovely to sleep through. He was reminded of early summers when he was a kid where he'd wake up to the sun and watch the woodpeckers gathering ants in the lawn at his gran's and that's what gave him the idea because wasn't it just perfect that his gran had purchased a beautiful beach front summer home in her retirement? Surely the rare city woodpecker was meant to be a sign that it was the perfect spot for them to stay.

Connor grinned as he hurried to shower and dress and then went flying into Abby's windowless room to wake her excitedly. "Abby, Abby, wake up!" he shouted, bouncing eagerly at the end of her bed.

Abby groaned and opened one eye to glare at him with. "Go away, Connor. It can't possibly be morning yet."

"It is though, Abs, sorta, and it's our summer holiday!"

Abby opened her other eye and smiled at that. The thought of her first real family holiday gave her a sudden burst of energy and she sat up. "Okay, Con, I'm up. But you still haven't told me where we're going."

Connor grinned at her proudly, "Me gran's, Abs. She's got this beautiful place on the ocean and there's just forest behind it and cliffs around it so it's super secluded and private and the house is plenty big for Rex to fly around and explore or we could bring a big cage so he could come outside with us."

Abby smiled dreamily and then, to Connor's surprise, she kissed him on the cheek. "That sounds lovely, Connor. But what about your gran, will she be there?"

Connor frowned for a moment, his brow furrowing as if she'd thoroughly confused him. "I don't know," he finally said. "I didn't actually think of that, Abby. She might be, you know. It's her summer house and it _is _summer. She's got loads of space though. I don't think she'd mind sharing the house if you don't."

"'Course I don't mind," Abby smiled at him reassuringly. "It's a family holiday and she's your family. I think I'd like to meet her really. Only, will she be okay with Rex?"

Connor nodded, "Oh yes. She likes animals, Abs. She's got a dog herself, a golden retriever named Maggie. Don't worry though, Maggie's real old and gotten a wee bit lazy, I'm sure she won't chase Rex."

"Rex can fly anyway, I'm not worried. She'll buy the story that he's just a rare lizard, yeah? Not as up to date on the prehistoric creatures as you?"

"Abby, _nobody _is as up to date on them as _me. _But yeah, she'll buy it. If she's there. Maybe she won't be. But please Abby, won't you get up so we can go now?"

Abby laughed and nodded as she shoved him off her bed and then out of her room.


	3. Chapter 3

Connor hummed happily to himself from the driver's seat of Abby's mini; it wasn't all that often that she actually let him drive. She had let him today partly because he knew the way to his gran's house and she didn't, but mostly because she had wanted to document her first family vacation with plenty of photos. When she'd first told Connor of her plan, he thought he'd surprise her with a blank photo album at the end of the trip. Now he was starting to reconsider since he was pretty sure he'd need to get her at least a couple dozen of them. He knew that there were at least eight pictures of him loading the luggage, and he'd long ago lost track of how many pictures she'd taken of him driving and of Rex in the cage in the backseat, let alone the scenery out the window starting the moment they put the car into gear.

They'd driven in silence for a long time, but it was a fun silence. Connor glanced at Abby and smiled. She'd dressed in light blue jean cut-offs, a white peasant style top and white tennis shoes. Despite the seatbelt, she'd managed to tuck her legs up under her to the side and for once she was smiling, really smiling a smile that reached right to her eyes and looked ready to come out in a bubble of excited laughter. He didn't think he'd ever seen her so relaxed and happy.

"Abby," he said, hesitantly. She turned to him, snapping another picture of him as she did and then putting the camera down in acknowledgement that he was waiting for her attention. He flashed her a grin and said quickly, "You're pretty, Abby."

He was surprised to see the pleased blush that crept over her face; Abby didn't normally blush and especially not for him. Then she ducked her head with a chuckle and replied quickly, "Oh… shut up, Con." He laughed at her teasing and despite the fact that he knew she wasn't angry really, she quickly added on, "And thanks."

Connor nodded his reply and turned his attention back to the road while she went back to taking photos. He hoped that she'd let him take some of her, or of them together. He didn't have any, he realised, even though they'd lived together for so long. There'd just never really been any great photo opportunities and it would have been more than a little bit awkward for him to just up and out of the blue ask her for a photo of herself. He hoped that they could get a good picture together and then imagined the reactions of his old college buddies if he could get one on Facebook of him, Connor Temple, with his arm around Abby at the beach, maybe even with Abby in a bikini…

"Connor! Look out!" Abby suddenly cried, and fortunately Connor _had _still been paying attention and managed to slam on the breaks and avoid hitting the herd of sheep standing in the centre of the road just around the bend.

"Well that's brilliant," Connor muttered. The sheep, hundreds of them, stared back at him and seemed in no hurry to move anywhere. He tried honking the horn a few times and a couple of them moved, but most barely reacted.

Abby frowned, "Now what?"

Connor shrugged at her. "At least we're not in a hurry. There's no other route unless we backtrack for a couple hours. Someone should really talk to the farmers about this. What if there'd been an anomaly we were trying to get to?"

"Then the dinosaurs could help us move them," Abby said, a mischievous grin on her face.

"Abby!" Connor protested, "That's mean!" But he knew she was joking and would never really wish that upon them.

"Well," she smiled, "We could go talk to the farmers and tell them we need them to be more careful in shutting the gate just in case a magnetic hole in time opens up and dinosaurs come through."

"Yeah, okay, you do that, and I'll take photos," Connor smirked at her. "If they call the asylum for you just… run like hell."

Abby shook her head, the merriment evident in her eyes as she snapped off her seatbelt and opened the door.

"Abby, wait, I didn't mean… where are you going?"

"To try and scare the sheep off."

"Oh. Um, yeah, right," Connor said, watching as she got out of the car then. He secretly snapped a few photos on her camera of her out there shooing and pleading with the sheep, which simply bleated back at her, and then got out himself to give her a hand. He didn't think for an instant it would work, but at least he could make Abby think he was being helpful.

When the sheep still didn't move after some time, Abby stopped suddenly and looked at him, almost in tears.

"Abby?" Connor moved to her side immediately, "What is it?"

"Stupid Sheep!" she protested. "They're ruining everything! I'm supposed to be on holiday with you and Rex and they won't let us pass!"

Connor gave her a quick hug and then ran back to the car, emerging with a bag of crisps from the trunk and a thermos of tea. "Abby," he said, hopping up onto the bonnet of the car, "Forget about it. It's fine. They'll move off eventually. Let me tell you a secret."

Abby moved closer and then hopped up beside him, sitting cross-legged and reaching for the crisps, a smile already forming again.

Connor leaned towards her and whispered seriously, "There's _no such thing _as the perfect family holiday. Always something has to go wrong. That's the rule, Abs, and it's pretty much set in stone, you can't change that. So, we just make the best of the bad situation and enjoy the fact that it's sheep and not tyrannosaurs, okay? We'll get there, eventually. They won't stay here _forever. _And we're in no rush, so we wait, have a snack. Enjoy the sun and company and pretend like it was planned to have crisps and tea on the bonnet of the car with a wool-wearing audience, yeah?"

Abby nodded, the sparkle back in her eyes. "Yeah, okay Con. Sorry, I didn't know the rule is all and thought maybe I was jinxed and wasn't meant to have a family holiday."

Connor chuckled as he stole the crisps bag back from her.

For the next half hour, they fought playfully over the bag and Connor got the last handful of crisps, but Abby got the last cup of tea. They thoroughly enjoyed themselves, but Connor knew that Abby was starting to get slightly impatient again, mostly because she was worried about Rex being in the travelling cage for so long. He clapped his hands together and jumped up off the hood and put the empty thermos away before approaching the sheep one more time.

"Oi! Sheep!" he called, putting on a show for Abby's benefit. "Me and the pretty lady wanna be on our way to our first family holiday together, so if you'd just move for a moment, please, and let us through, we'd love it. You can go back to standing in the road once we're past. Will only take a second, I promise."

Nothing happened, and Connor glanced at Abby. Encouraged by the fact that she was laughing, he continued. "Oi! Let's put it differently, Sheep. Me and Abs wanna get there in time for lunch as we're hungry, but if you stay here we'll just have to have lamb chops instead of gran's leftovers."

He heard Abby's giggle, but this time he didn't look at her, because, to his surprise, the sheep suddenly started to move away.


	4. Chapter 4

It was soon past noon when they reached Connor's gran's place. Abby stared in surprise at the large grey house on the beach front property. Connor had described it to her, but she still had trouble believing it. She'd always imagined that Connor's gran was a bit, well, poor, because of his stories of Christmases past in a cottage with no electricity. She questioned him about it and he grinned at her.

"Nah, she lives like that by choice, reminds her of the ol' days, she says. She's got loads of money, probably because she _doesn't _pay the electric bill, or the cable bill or the phone bill for that matter. She's quite the character actually, a bit eccentric. Completely old fashioned in some aspects and not at all in others."

"Think she's here?"

Connor shrugged as he opened climbed out of the car and then opened the back door to grab Rex's cage. "Dunno, do I? Guess we'll find out soon enough."

Abby watched as he placed the cage on the ground and then moved around to the boot to grab their luggage too. She knew she should help him unload, but her mind was elsewhere. Something had changed between her and Connor recently, and she didn't know what. Maybe he didn't realise, she thought. Maybe it was just her. When she'd accepted this getaway she'd accepted it as a _family _holiday, and in doing so she'd accepted _him as family. _

Rex, she pretended it was Rex because she wasn't about to admit it was her heart talking just yet, had said it was okay if they loved each other. That didn't necessarily mean much though, did it? Maybe Connor was simply like another brother to her. Of course he _had _kissed her, on the lips, and that was obviously something siblings didn't do. She needed to stop thinking, she suddenly realised. This was about relaxing and enjoying herself and time would tell what she wanted with Connor if she just stopped trying to analyze everything and let nature play its course.

"Connor?" she said hesitantly, finally grabbing a backpack and one of the suitcases from the car. "Can we not think on this holiday?"

Connor gave her an odd look. "Abby, we have to _think. _It's- it's impossible not to think. Without thinking you can't do anything, not even like talk or walk or wake up or remember to feed Rex, let alone actually cutting up his food. People just naturally think, all the time. It's like breathing. You can't really stop."

"Connor! Stop! That's exactly what I mean, you're thinking again, about everything."

"I know, Abs, that's sorta my point. I _can't _stop."

Abby smiled a bit, "Okay, okay. I didn't mean stop thinking completely Connor, but let's not think too hard, let's not analyse stuff, okay? I mean, about certain things. Like, if we want to do something, we'll just do it. Let's not worry about any consequences while we're on holiday and just… you know, see what happens."

Connor frowned, confusion written across his face. "Abby, I don't get you. What kinds of things are you talking about?"

"You know," Abby sighed, "Just, anything really. Like..." she blushed a bit, and looked away, turning her attention to adjusting the backpack strap even though there was nothing wrong with it. She wanted to explain that she was talking about _them _but she didn't know how so she just shrugged, "Like anything. Just, if you want to do something, then do it, okay? Don't worry about it, or how I'd react."

"Okay," Connor agreed, but Abby'd have had to be blind to see that he wasn't getting it and not only that, he was already analysing and worrying about what he might be missing. She sighed and shook her head a bit to unclog her own mind.

* * *

"I think she's here," Connor said as they approached the house. "The blinds aren't drawn."

Abby nodded and watched as Connor found a key under a potted geranium on the deck. Then he looked at her sheepishly, "Not really supposed to show people that. Don't tell her I let you see the hiding spot."

Abby smiled, "Not a word, but if you think she's here, why don't you knock?"

Connor shrugged, "She's _old, _Abby. Not so easy for her to just come to the door. Anyway, I'm her grandson, she don't expect me to knock like a stranger."

Abby followed him in, putting down the bags in the front landing. Connor followed suit, and then led her down the hallway calling cautiously so as not to startle his gran if she were around.

"Hellooo?! Gran?! Helloo? Anyone home? It's me, Connor."

They received no answer and a quick search told them the place was empty, but she was definitely staying there. There was fresh veggies in the fridge and the radio had been left on playing some old jazz.

"Maybe she's outside," Abby said, "What's the point of living on the beach if you stay cooped up in the house."

"Yeah," Connor nodded. "I bet that's it."

He led her out the back kitchen door and down the steps of the porch into the sand. "That's her," he said, pointing to the woman reading in a lounge chair. "C'mon."

Abby nodded, still following him and suddenly feeling a bit shy. She'd never met any of Connor's family before and she wondered what they'd think of her. The first thing she noticed about Connor's gran was that Connor hadn't been exaggerating when he said she was a bit eccentric.

"Connor," she whispered as they started to approach, "Your gran has turquoise hair?"

Connor shaded his eyes and then shrugged, "Think so. Her niece, that's me first cousin once removed, is a hair dresser and gran always lets her experiment. It's different every time I see her."

Abby raised an eyebrow and Connor grinned at her as he grabbed her wrist suddenly and pulled her the rest of the way across the sand.

"Gran!" he called out. "Gran!"

Connor's gran looked up from her book and removed her sunglasses as he eyed him and then smiled, sitting up a bit in her chair.

"Well, well, well, looky what the tide dragged in."

"Nah, Gran, it's low tide still. Drove here on me own I did. Came for a visit. Figured we'd come stay with your during our work holiday. You don't mind, do you? I'll make you pancakes in the morning."

His gran laughed, "C'mere, Boy, and give me a kiss." Connor let go of Abby and leaned down to peck his gran on the cheek. "That's better," she said. "Of course I don't mind. It's nice to see you. And you've brought a girl I see."

Connor blushed a bit, which surprised Abby, and nodded. "Yeah, and a lizard too but he's inside."

"A girl and a lizard eh? And why not? Should be a bit livelier around here then. Been a bit boring these last few weeks. No one visits me anymore these days."

"That's a lie, Gran. Carla's been around and recently." Connor gestured to his gran's hair.

"Well now, hey. You can't blame an old lady for trying to get some sympathy, can you? Are you gonna stand there or introduce me to your friend?"

"Gran, this is Abby. Abby, Gran."

"Um, hi, Connor's Gran," Abby said hesitantly, shooting Connor a look at his lousy introduction that left her not knowing what to call the woman.

She burst out laughing, "Now that's a bit long isn't it? Just Gran will do. I know whose Gran I am without you telling me each time you address me. So you're the famous Abby, are you? I've been trying for the past year to find out what me Connor does for a job and the only thing I've ever gotten from him is that he works with Abby. Seems quite enthusiastic about that all the time, so much so that you're the only subject of conversation I ever get from him these days."

Abby glanced at Connor with a grin, but he was avoiding her eyes, concentrating rather on the design he was drawing in the sand with his toe.

Gran continued, "But you're here now so I'll just ask you myself. What _do _you do for a living?"

Abby grinned mischievously, "Oh, you know, I work with Connor."

Connor burst out laughing, unable to help himself as Gran rolled her eyes and turned to Connor, teasing, "Well gosh, what good was it bringing the girl here if she gives me answers like that?"

Connor shrugged and plopped himself down in the sand beside Gran's chair. "Oh well, we came because we wanted a holiday. Gran wasn't it you as made the rule? I remember you telling dad all the time when I was little, "_No work chat on a family holiday."_"

Abby sat down at Connor's other side, taking in that new piece of information about Connor's family. That was a decidedly convenient rule, she thought to herself.

"Hmmph," Gran grumbled, "Fine, then, but see if I can't get it out of you eventually. In the meantime we can talk about relationships instead. Are you two a couple then?"

Connor winced a bit, expecting Abby to quickly deny it like she always did. Instead she looked at him, meeting his eyes and he was surprised to see the uncertainty written on her face. It was almost as if she was asking him the same question. She looked away quickly and leaned forward to view his Gran. "We're not, really, no," she stammered a bit. "I mean, we're not, but we're together, sorta."

They were? Connor's heart sped up a beat. When had that happened? Then again, he suddenly remembered, he _had _kissed her that day. And she _had _accepted him as family, how could they be that if they weren't together. He felt a grin spread over his face and he looked at the sand, hoping Abby didn't see, because he was pretty sure he looked a bit goofy at the moment.

Gran, on the other hand, was frowning. "You're together, but you're not? That makes sense. Elaborate."

"I-I don't know how to explain it," Abby said, a bit quieter. "I mean, we don't date or nothing, it's not really like a proper couple relationship, but… but I wouldn't dream of dating anyone _else._"

Connor's grin widened to the point that it started to hurt a bit and he wondered if his face was right split in two, but he couldn't seem to help it. Abby elbowed him, wanting him to help her out a bit.

"Uh, yeah, what she said," he spoke up, trying hard to school his features and hoping it was working better than he thought it was. "We're not a couple, really, but we're definitely together. Inseparable actually."

"And both as hopeless as the other at explaining yourselves," Gran said. "Well, why don't you two go and unpack and try to think of some decent answers while you're at it. It's about time for me afternoon nap and I think I'll catch some rays out here while I sleep. You know the drill, wake me if I burn."

They both nodded and Connor kissed his gran's cheek one more time as they stood up, brushing the sand from their clothing. As they headed back to the house, Connor shot another look at Abby. _She'd said they were together! _He had a feeling that'd be on his mind all week. He wondered how she'd react if he held her hand. And then suddenly her words came back to him and remembered the awkward conversation about doing what they wanted without consequences or worrying about the other's reactions. _So _that's _what she'd been talking about. _Brilliant! This day just kept getting better, he thought as he reached for her.


	5. Chapter 5

Abby smiled to herself. Connor's gran seemed nice enough, despite the awkward questions. She wasn't at all what Abby had pictured in her mind, but she had a feeling that they'd get along swell. She glanced down as she felt Connor take her hand and her smile widened. _That was sweet of him, _she thought, immediately curling her fingers around his in response. It took a few more steps for her to realise that this was behaviour she normally wouldn't have accepted from him, not before all this family stuff had started. She wondered a moment if she should pull away, but then remembered her resolve not to push Connor away anymore. Besides, hadn't she _just _lectured him about not thinking and worrying about consequences this week? If she was gonna be honest with herself, this holding hands thing felt really, really nice.

She let go the moment they reached the door, all thoughts of Connor evaporating at the sudden strange and terrifying sound filling the air.

"What is _that?_" Connor asked, looking scared.

Abby was already running across the house in a panic as she yelled, "Distress call! Rex's!"

Connor followed at her heels and they both breathed a sigh of relief when they found the lizard still safe in his cage in the front landing where they'd left him. Maggie, Gran's golden retriever, was sniffing at the cage curiously.

"Get her away, Connor," Abby ordered.

"Aww Abs, Maggie won't hurt him. She just wants to say hello."

"She's upsetting him."

Connor grabbed the old dog's collar and dragged her away. Abby sighed and opened the cage and Rex flew out, landing on a small table beside Abby. She tenderly tickled his chin. "Sorry 'bout that," she grinned. "Your daddy says the dog is harmless though. You're okay."

Connor returned a moment later and nodded to Abby. "I locked Maggie in the kitchen. Rex all right?"

Abby nodded, "Sure his is. He just got a bit scared is all. Can't blame him for that. He's never seen a dog before."

"Nah, but he's seen a gorgonopsid and didn't make that sound," Connor laughed.

Abby smiled, "Well he had the option to fly out of the way then. I guess he just felt a bit trapped here and needed us to rescue him is all. They'll be okay now that's he's free from the cage." She gave him a little pat and then grabbed one of the suitcases and turned to Connor. "C'mon, help me get our stuff away. Where're the rooms?"

A strange look crossed Connor's face suddenly, but before Abby could question him, he grabbed another suitcase and smiled, "This way, follow me."

* * *

Connor glanced behind him a couple times as they climbed the stairs to make sure Abby was still following him. Not that he had any reason to think she wouldn't be, but she could magically disappear on him because this might actually all be a dream after all. Her words about him to Gran hadn't left his mind, except for during that one brief moment of panic that Rex was hurt, not to mention the feel of her hand in his. It'd been a short walk across the beach to the house, but that didn't change the fact that she'd definitely held his hand back. Not only that, but she'd acted like it was the most natural thing in the world for them to be doing. He wondered if she had _any _idea how fast his heart was fluttering.

"In here," he whispered a bit hesitantly, wondering what her reaction would be. Abby followed him and glanced around the room. The large window was framed with pale yellow curtains and showed a gorgeous view of the sea. The wallpaper was white with small yellow and blue flowers on it and the bedspread on the bed matched it. Everything was light and energetic, despite being a bit old fashioned. A small dresser across the room had a bouquet of fake pink roses on it and the best feature was the patio doors that swung open to a private balcony.

"It's beautiful!" Abby exclaimed happily.

Connor nodded, "Yeah." He watched her drop the suitcase on the bed and waited for her to catch on.

She did when he tossed his own suitcase on the bed with hers. A small frown crossed her face. "Con?" her voice suddenly sounded a bit unsure. "Is-is the room meant for both of us?"

Connor sat down on the bed and patted the mattress beside him. "We need to talk about that, yeah, Abs? See the thing is, well, there's loads of room for me to sleep elsewhere, if you like. There's plenty of comfy hide-a-beds and I don't mind one little bit. I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

Abby didn't say anything, wondering what he was getting out and if he meant for them to share the room or not. When she kept silent, he continued. "Thing is, Abs, I was thinking I'd take Gran's room but since she's here I can't, obviously. But the problem is that, well, Gran, she doesn't like to let a guest sleep on the couch. She says it's terribly rude. I'm worried if I try that, she'll be stubborn and move herself out to the hide-a-bed instead and I hate to displace her. She has trouble getting around a bit now, and the hide-a-beds are too low for her really. I figured it'd be easier if we just… you know, didn't have it come up at all. Anyhow, it's not like it's much different than when we fall asleep together on the sofa at home during movie night, is it? Or I could even sleep on the floor?"

Abby kissed his cheek, and smiled as the tension in his expression immediately evaporated and his grin returned. "Don't be silly, Con. It's fine, and you don't need to stay on the floor. I guess we've lived together long enough I can be comfortable sleeping next to you. I just asked because I was wondering, is all. But c'mon, let's get our stuff unpacked so we can start to enjoy ourselves, yeah."

"Yeah, only I'm already enjoying meself, Abs," Connor commented as he stood up and opened his suitcase. "Brilliant holiday so far I think."

Abby nodded her agreement, "It is brilliant, Connor, but what would _really _be enjoyable is tea and sandwiches on the beach followed by a swim in the ocean, yeah?"

Connor nodded and swallowed as he watched her unpack a bikini.

* * *

"Abby," Connor asked as he gingerly opened the door to the kitchen so they could make their picnic lunch. "Think it'd be okay to let Maggie out of here yet?"

Abby nodded, "Yeah, I think so. Rex can fly out of her way."

Connor relaxed and let the door swing open further. Maggie gave him a rather disapproving look, him being the culprit who had locked her away in the first place, before sauntering out of the room in search of the lizard. Abby turned to the fridge and opened it. "What sorta sandwich do you feel like, Con?"

"Egg Salad, please. And Gran'll want chicken."

Abby nodded and pulled both the eggs and the chicken out of the fridge. "Where's the bread?"

He found it quickly and set about boiling the eggs, enough for him and Abby as he knew she'd have the same as him. Abby was just putting the kettle on for some tea when Maggie and Rex came sauntering back into the room looking as if they were best friends.


	6. Chapter 6

Abby hesitated as they walked back out across the sand. The picnic lunch, officially packed in a proper picnic basket courtesy Connor's gran (Abby'd found it in the pantry) was in one hand, but her other was free and felt rather empty. She wondered how Connor'd react if she just held his again. He shouldn't protest, he'd done it earlier, but what if he overreacted?

She sighed; she was breaking her own rule again, that one about not analysing things. She reached and entwined her fingers with him and he squeezed her hand, flashing her a smile that seemed strangely comforting despite the fact that she hadn't been aware until that moment that she needed any comfort.

Gran was half-dozing when they approached and stood in the sand beside her. They both hesitated silently, unsure whether they should let her sleep or offer her lunch. After a moment of staring at the elderly lady, Gran made their minds up for them by speaking, "Have I stunned the two of you into silence with my beauty?"

Connor laughed, "Yes Gran."

"Good answer. What is it you want?"

"We've brought you some lunch, if you're not too tired to eat it."

"Tired? Only old people get tired in the middle of the day, Young Man. I may enjoy my beauty sleep, but I never get tired, especially not too tired for company and food. What'd you bring me?"

"Chicken sandwich and tea," Connor responded.

Abby tugged her hand free from his so she could open the picnic basket and then blushed when she saw Gran's gaze follow her movement. She'd definitely noticed they were holding hands, and Abby wasn't sure how she felt about that. Gran didn't comment on it though and Abby soon forgot about it too as Connor laid out the picnic blanket for him and Abby to sit on.

"You know there's more chairs under the patio," Gran commented as she watched them.

"Didn't know, but I'm fine down here, thanks." Connor spoke with his mouthful of sandwich. "We'll remember that for another time though."

"So," Gran asked once they'd settled, "How long are you two staying for?"

"A week," Abby answered, "If that's okay by you."

"Yes of course it's okay by me. What are you going to do all day today?"

Connor grinned, "We wanna go swimming this afternoon at any rate. I don't think we've really planned anything past that. Do you want to swim with us, Gran?"

"Ha! Fat chance! If you two wanna get all soggy you go for it, but I'm gonna enjoy the warm sun and then make us some dinner."

"Gran, Abby and me can cook!" Connor protested.

"Nonsense. You already made me lunch. I don't turn my guests into slaves."

"Technically you could consider it our way of thanking you for letting us stay here," Abby pointed out insistently.

Gran smiled at her, "Thank-you, Dear, but tonight I'm cooking. If you really want to make me a dinner you can do so later in the week."

Abby knew they weren't going to win this one and, honestly, she didn't really feel like coming in from the ocean early to cook anyway, so she agreed with this even if she did feel a bit bad about it.

When she'd finished her sandwich she stood up and said she was gonna go change into her swimwear.

"Oh you shouldn't go swimming yet, Honey," Gran warned, "You just ate. Wait an hour. And I hope you're a strong swimmer, the waves are high and there's quite a bit of current out here and the depth drops off a bit."

"Abby's a super excellent swimmer!" Connor said, a hint of pride in his voice. Abby frowned at that, because as far as she was aware Connor had never actually seen her swim. "And you know _I _am, Gran," he continued, "We'll be fine, but we'll wait, yeah. Gotta get changed still anyway. Maybe we'll wade in the shallows a bit first."

"Good boy," Gran was replying as Abby scurried away to go get changed.

* * *

Abby was trying to shove her towel and a dry t-shirt into a too small bag when she heard the knock on the bedroom door and Connor's familiar voice coming through. "Abby, are you decent?"

"Yes," she called back, happy that he'd finally learned to ask before barging into a room.

Connor hesitated as he entered the room and saw her, and he was absolutely _not _going to stare at Abby wearing her jean shorts and just a bikini top: a light blue and white and black striped bikini top that would more than likely bring out her eyes very nicely if she'd just turn around and look at him. But it'd be best if she didn't turn around so that she didn't catch him staring. No, no she wouldn't catch him staring because he wasn't going to stare, he was stopping, right now, he'd just look away and… and step closer? Seemed his feet had minds of their own. And maybe his hands too and he didn't blame them one bit because she was just so gorgeous really. He found himself close behind her and reaching for both her hands, his right on her right, his left on her left.

Abby froze in surprise when she suddenly found Connor tugging at her. He grabbed each of her hands, wrapping them around herself in a hug, enclosing her firmly in his arms. What on earth? "Connor?"

"You said do what I want, yeah, Abby? I just want a hug from me best friend," Connor said quickly, sounding a bit unsure.

Only this wasn't exactly a normal hug. For one thing she was being pinned to him, unable to return it. For another he was now kissing her neck and she probably should use one of those escape moves she'd learned in martial arts class and then give him a good slap, but instead she was tilting her head to the opposite side to make it easier for him. No, no, she had promised herself she wasn't going to let him down again, but this was too much, too fast. She quickly pulled away and glared at him until she saw the guilty, disappointed expression he gave her. She ignored the fact that he childishly stuck out his lower lip in a pout and she didn't _at all _want to kiss that lip, not one little bit. At least, not enough to actually do so. But she wasn't going to let him stay all sad like that because even less than she wasn't going to kiss him, she wasn't going to hurt him. So she smiled, "Connor, C'mon. I have too much holiday energy to stand here hugging you now. I wanna go swimming!"

He smiled back then and nodded but before he could say anything she suddenly frowned, "Why'd you tell your Gran I'm a super excellent swimmer?"

"'Cuz you are, Abs," He looked at her puzzled, "Was that a secret?"

"Connor, you've never actually _seen _me swim."

He frowned, as if suddenly realising that that was indeed true, his brow furrowed. "Abs, you can swim, right?"

"Yes, of course I can. It's me as has been wanting to go swimming isn't it? I just can't figure out where that came from."

"I guess I just assumed it, Abby. You're excel at everything, so why wouldn't you be an excellent swimmer? Didn't really think about it."

Abby shook her head and laughed a bit, "You assume too much, and I said I could swim, I didn't say I was excellent at it."

"You're probably just being modest."

"Hardly. I love the water, but I'm not super fast, and I'm not great at the long distance thing. I mean, I can do a few laps of the pool at home so I'm good enough, though I'm sure my technique is nothing to write home about. The way you said it, your Gran probably thinks I'm some swimming superstar athlete or something. Oh, and I've never actually swam in the ocean with currents and waves and all before."

Connor grinned, "Really?! Oh it's a blast Abs! We'll have a race."

"I just said…"

"I know, Abby! Just think, for once I might be able to beat you at something, other than video games I mean."

He looked so excited about the fact that Abby had to agree to a race, a short one, but she quickly changed the subject when he started talking about prizes.


	7. Chapter 7

Abby's lips pursed in anger as she shoved Connor's bare chest hard, knocking him down onto his bottom in the shallow water. "What'd you do that for?!" She asked, glaring at him icily.

Connor stayed where he sat, looking up at her in confusion, wondering what she could possibly and suddenly be mad at him for. She'd been in such a good mood five minutes ago when they'd leapt into the ocean and began their race to a small outcrop of rock and back.

"What'd I do what for, Abby?"

"You _let _me win, Connor. Do you have _any_ idea how insulting that is?"

Oh. He didn't think it'd been that obvious. He blushed and muttered an apology.

"Why'd you do it, Con?"

"I dunno," he said, his eyes pleading for forgiveness from her, "I just, figured you like to win and all. Usually you look happy when you beat me at something." He stood up and brushed a bit of sand from the side of his navy swim trunks, avoiding meeting her eyes.

Abby sighed, "You're so clueless at times, you know that, right?"

"How would I know that, if I don't have a clue?" he joked, trying to lighten the mood, but the look Abby gave him told him that she clearly didn't think it funny.

When she didn't say anything, he put a hand on her elbow and tried apologizing again. "Abby, look, I'm really, really, super sorry. As sorry as I could get, yeah? I didn't mean it, honest. We could try again and this time I could show you just how super fast I am? I'll beat you by a long shot because, honestly Abby, you are a wee bit slow."

Abby's expression changed and a soft chuckle escaped her lips, her eyes lighting back up as she nodded, "Slow _and _tired; we just finished the first one. How can you be ready to go again already, Connor?"

"Abby I practically grew up on a beach. I'm just like a fish, I am. Gran used to say she thought I could breathe underwater. Don't tell her that's completely preposterous."

Abby sat down on the huge rock sticking out of the water that had marked their starting and finishing point, letting her feet dangle into the water that barely reached Connor's shins. "Okay, Con, give me five to catch me breath first and then we'll go again."

Connor plonked himself down beside her again in a very undignified way and started swirling his hands through the water, a smile on his face. Abby watched as one of his hands got tangled in a floating piece of seaweed and he seemed to struggle to get it off of his fingers. Each time he'd try, it'd wind up wrapped around another instead. When he finally managed he glanced up to see if she'd noticed and, upon seeing the amusement on her face, he rather unceremoniously chucked it at her.

"Oi!" Abby protested, tossing it back but missing him when he ducked out of the way, "Stop that!"

Connor knew she wasn't mad though, and he debated tossing it at her a second time but thought that perhaps he'd better not push his luck just then. Instead he leaned back against the rock she was sitting on and closed his eyes, enjoying a few moments of the warm sun, even though the water itself was quite cold really. He longed to start moving in it again, but he waited patiently for her until she finally stood up and nodded, "Alright, Connor, one more time. But if you let me win again you _will _be sleeping on the floor tonight."

He jumped eagerly to his feet and nodded, not worried about the threat because there was no way he was going to make the same mistake twice. And really if he was supposed to win, he may as well show off a bit and show her just how fast he really could go! He glanced at the outcrop in the distance and then back at Abby who still appeared slightly tired, and made it his goal to get there _and _back before she even got to the first outcrop. Maybe he could even swim it twice in the time she did it once? He wondered if that was showing off just a wee bit too much?

"Abby?" he asked tentatively before they began, "Wanna make a bet?"

Abby raised an eyebrow at him, "What kind of bet, Connor?"

"Loser has to clean out Rex's cage the full week we're here?"

Abby grinned, "Well I guess that's good for me… if you lose, I don't have to do it… if you win, I don't lose anything since I know you'd make me do that even without the bet."

Connor frowned, "Yeah I didn't think of that, not much prize for me, is it?"

"What's the bet, Connor?"

"Oh right, yeah, I'm thinking I can swim the full race twice before you do it once."

Abby frowned now, "I dunno, Con."

"Why not?"

"Because I feel like you're trying to make it so that even if I lose the race, I win something."

"Abby! That's not it! I promise, I just… I think I can do it."

"You think you can swim it _twice._"

Connor nodded and Abby saw the truth in his eyes this time so she raised an eyebrow sceptically and just said, "You're on."

And then they were off.

* * *

It was actually a lot harder of a bet for Connor than he expected it to be. By the end of it he was completely out of breath and his muscles were straining to keep going. It wasn't until Abby had only twenty feet left to go that he admitted to himself that he wasn't going to win this thing and then he instantly felt bad and wondered if she'd be mad again, thinking he hadn't tried, because he _was_ trying, so hard.

He didn't actually finish his second go much behind her first. When he got to the finishing rock she was looking at him with a smirk on her face and he had to catch his breath before speaking but that was okay because he wasn't sure whether to congratulate her on winning the bet or laugh at her for so badly losing the main race.

She made up his mind for him when she commented, "Ha! Looks like you're on cage cleaning duty after all, Hot Shot!"

"Yeah, but Abby, man are you _slow! _You can't deny I won the race that time!"

Instead of congratulating him, she looked around her as if searching for something and then returned her gaze back to him and shrugged, a mischeivous smile on her face, "My word against yours… I see no witnesses."

"You can't…" Connor protested and then when words failed him he reached into the water and sent a large splash her way.

Abby was on her guard though and a moment later Connor found himself being dunked under the water and fighting to do the only thing he could do to maintain his dignity, making sure he dragged her under too.

* * *

An hour later Gran emerged from the house to call the duo inside for supper, but when she saw the splashes and heard the echoing squeals of laughter from them both she shook her head and went back inside, placing the meals in the warming rack for later.


	8. Chapter 8

It was Abby who had wanted to go swimming, and Abby who first noticed they should probably be heading back to shore. She noticed when she pushed down on his shoulders to dunk him beneath the water again and something felt weird. It wasn't the smooth skin on skin contact she expected. She let go of him and glanced at her hand. Sure enough it was white and wrinkled from being in the water for too long.

"C'mon, Connor," she said, resting her forearms on his shoulder to hold herself up out of the deep water they now played in, "I'm getting prune-like, I think we oughta go in now."

Connor sighed. He really didn't want to. Playing in the water with Abby meant he'd found himself allowed to spend hours touching her. They'd been grabbing at each other's waists, arms, ankles, whatever was in reach to see who could dunk the other person the most and, each time Abby needed a quick break, she'd leaned on him like she was doing now. His hand slipped around her waist to help hold her up as he treaded water with the other hand so they could talk and he pretended not to act like it was at all an issue that she was pressed against him, both of them barely clothed. "Abby, do we hafta?" he whined as though he were much younger than he really was.

She grinned, "Yes! But we've got all week, Connor. We can swim again tomorrow I imagine."

"Or the next day Abby. When you was changing into your bikini I told Gran we'd pick her up some groceries tomorrow before we cook and there's the cutest little market only a few miles out from here I want to show you. There's even this little shop where a guy handcrafts statues outta jade and loads of them are little lizards and dinosaurs."

Abby extracted herself from Connor's grip as she darted towards the shore. "Sounds brilliant, Con, but we still have to get out of the water now. Besides, aren't you hungry?"

He still wanted to protest, but now that she'd called his attention to it, he _was _starving, so he swam after her, quickly catching up and climbing from the water first.

* * *

It was funny how much sea water could change people, Abby thought to herself. Before they'd stepped into the ocean, she'd caught Connor gawking at her and she'd known she looked quite fantastic in her bikini. Coming out of the sea, she was pretty sure she was pale and wrinkled and looked like a drowned rat. Plus she was coated in splotches of wet sand and seaweed everywhere and she wasn't entirely sure how Connor wasn't.

On Connor, however, the sea had seemed to have the complete opposite effect. To be honest, she _knew _he'd been hoping for some kind of reaction from her when he'd emerged from the house wearing just his swim trunks, but at that point he'd still looked to her nothing more than her crazy best friend who always walked around the house in his boxers anyway. She couldn't even _pretend _to be impressed for his sake, not with his Gran sitting right there, could she? Now that had changed too though. The lowered sun's rays were catching all the water beads that lingered on his muscles as he clamoured onto the shore and she couldn't help but to stare and wonder if he'd always been so strong? Maybe she just hadn't noticed because he was normally so clumsy and geeky, but he'd proved today that he was far more athletic than she could have guessed and, what with the sunlight and the water, she was suddenly able to _see _just how toned he actually was.

"Earth to Abby," Connor's voice suddenly penetrated her brain and she blushed and hoped he hadn't noticed she'd been ogling him.

"Sorry, Con, just thinking. What was that?"

"I said that Gran won't be happy if we track all this water into her house and maybe we oughta sit on the deck and let the sun dry us before going in."

"Sounds good," she agreed quickly, flashing him a grin that he immediately returned.

* * *

Despite being low, the sun was still hot and it didn't take them long to dry off. Abby brushed the dry sand from her body and picked off the seaweed and slipped her shorts back on over her swimsuit bottoms. Connor had already donned his tee-shirt again. They sat on the deck on the lawn chairs that Connor had dragged out for them. They'd talked a bit, but then fallen into a comfortable silence, enjoying the hot sun. Abby didn't remember falling asleep, but she heard the screen door squeak open and heard Gran asking Connor if they were _ever _going to come in to eat and when she opened her eyes she was surprised to see that the sun had nearly gone down and it was suddenly quite dark out, with just a hint of red sky still left on the horizon.

Connor was standing already and answering something, but Abby wasn't quite awake enough to catch it yet. Still, she couldn't imagine he'd want to wait for dinner any longer, so she stood up and prepared to follow Gran who had disappeared back inside.

Connor suddenly blocked her way and stepped really close to her. She froze and then gave in a questioning look.

"Stay still a minute, Abs," he ordered and they with a grin he plucked a large piece of dark green seaweed from her hair and stepped away again to toss it over the deck rail.

"Connor!" Abby scolded him, "Why didn't you tell me that was there?"

Connor's grin turned sheepish as he replied, "_Because, _Abby, it was kinda cute."

* * *

After dinner, Gran sent Connor out to cut some firewood for her, stating that it might be fun to roast some marshmallows on the beach. Abby was going to follow him outside, but then Gran asked _her _to help with the dishes and Abby got the sudden sinking feeling that Gran was trying to separate them so she could ask Abby about her relationship with Connor some more. But there was no way Abby could refuse.

She was, of course, correct. Abby's instincts were usually really good and oftentimes she prided herself on that, but sometimes like this she sort of wished she was wrong.

"So," Gran began the moment they were alone, "You said you and Connor were together but not together. Why aren't you together and _not _not together?"

Abby raised an eyebrow, "Can I pretend I don't understand that crazy question?"

"Well of course not."

"Yeah, I thought not," Abby sighed and then gave what she thought was an alarmingly open and honest answer when she responded. "Okay, well, the truth is, that it's entirely my fault we're not together. It's not Connor at all. He would date me, if I let him."

"Well I'm not _blind, _Deary, I can see that plain as daylight. Why do you think I'm asking you instead of him?"

"I…" Abby was shocked that Gran had seen through her so easily and she clamped her mouth shut again, thinking how to respond. Gran seemed quite content to dry dishes in silence while she waited, but waiting she still was and Abby knew it. Finally she shrugged and said vaguely, "I guess I'm just not ready for a relationship is all."

To her relief, Gran dropped the subject, but the feeling was short-lived because the next topic wasn't that much easier. "What are the rules?" she'd asked.

"What rules?" Abby wasn't quite sure what she was talking about.

"The rules for what defines a Not-A-Couple that's together versus a proper couple. You both obviously care about each other deeply, you flirt, you stare at each other, you hold hands, you said you wouldn't date anyone else, and blimey if you haven't both gone and unpacked your stuff in the same one-bed bedroom. So really, I'm wondering what the difference is. You have to forgive me, Dear, but while we're being honest, I'm older than I like to let on and people in my day that did all that were all couples. Call it casual curiosity if you like."

Abby had to smile a bit, even though the question confused her. She knew what was being asked, she just didn't know the answer. "The room thing is just because there only _was _one empty room," she pointed out. "We live together, in separate rooms, but I guess we're comfortable enough with each other that we didn't think it was a big deal to share while on holiday."

"And the rest?"

I guess we don't have rules, except one: we don't talk about it. And that's my doing, and that's why we're not together officially even if we kind of are."

It was Gran's turn to raise an eyebrow and Abby knew darn well it sounded ridiculous, but it worked for her and it wasn't anyone else's business really. There was silence for a moment while Gran let the uncomfortable thoughts run through Abby's head before breaking the silence with another question. "Do you let Connor kiss you?"

Abby gave her a pointed look and Gran apologized with her excuse of "casual curiosity" again, but Abby knew she was trying to make a point and wished she could say no. Only she _had _let Connor kiss her in Lester's office that day and she had told herself she would again, that she wouldn't push him away again if _he _initiated it.

"I did once," she finally admitted. "He's never tried since."

"And would you let him if he did?"

Abby nodded silently and then glanced at Gran and smiled, "But don't ever tell him that. I'm kind of hoping he'll eventually figure it out for himself."

* * *

Connor and Gran sat chatting by the fire about all their different relatives and what each was getting up to these days. Abby tried to listen a bit, curious to learn about Connor's family, but her mind kept wandering back to her own words. She was _hoping _Connor would figure out that he could kiss her? Since when? She thought she was _reluctantly open to the idea_ for Connor's sake alone. That's what she'd decided with herself was an acceptable reaction to Connor's kiss. _Hoping _for more was definitely not.

"Abby?" Connor's voice brought her back from her thoughts about him for the second time that day and she didn't even want to examine the meaning of that. "You're being too quiet."

"I'm fine, Connor, tired is all. Think I'll go shower and head to bed. You can stay and visit if you want, just try not to wake me later if you don't mind."

Connor nodded and he and Gran both wished her a goodnight and watched her leave before turning their attention back to the story Gran had been telling about cousin Clara accidentally dyeing her dad's hair bright purple just before an important business meeting the year before.


	9. Chapter 9

Connor loved his Gran, but she sure could be a busybody at times. He didn't know what she'd said to Abby when he'd gone out to fetch the firewood, but Abby'd been distant and quiet ever since. He hoped he'd get a chance to talk with her about it before she fell asleep, so he excused himself, telling Gran he'd been up early and was tired now, and headed to the bedroom.

He frowned when he got there. Abby was in bed already, sort of. He knew that she'd said she was comfortable enough to share a bed with him, but her actions now told him that maybe that wasn't the case. She was so far over to her side of the bed, the side by the door, that he thought she would be likely to fall off if she moved so much as to blink. He sighed and grabbed his pyjamas quietly and went to go change in the washroom.

When he climbed into bed fifteen minutes later, he wondered vaguely if it was all Abby's yoga training that gave her the balance to not fall out of bed even in her sleep. Still, yoga or not, he felt that having _that _much space between them was going a bit ridiculously overboard, especially after she'd spend half the afternoon hanging onto him in the water. Anyway, _he_ wanted to cuddle and she'd said if he wanted something he should just do it and not worry about what she thought, so he moved to the middle of the bed and did his best to pull her to him without waking her up. It didn't work out too well. Abby's eyes flew open immediately and she groaned and swatted at him.

"Connor, whatever you're doing, stop. I'm trying to sleep and you tugging at me isn't helping."

"But Abby, he protested, "You're gonna fall out of bed!"

"I'm fine, Connor."

"No, Abs, you're not. What're you way on the edge for anyway?"

Abby sighed, not happy about having to explain herself to him when she was tired. "Because, Connor, you're bigger than me. I'se trying to give you space so you can sleep proper like."

Connor grinned at that. She'd been _thinking _of him, not _avoiding _him! "Honest, Abby, I'm not _that _big! You'd best move closer." He gave her arm another tug, but Abby didn't budge other than to drop one foot to the floor to hold her balance.

"Connor! Stop! I'm comfy here now and I'm _trying _to sleep."

Connor stopped pulling at her arm then and moved into her side of the bed, silently placing his arms securely around her waist.

"Connor?" she questioned.

"If you wanna stay put 'cuz you're comfy Abby, that's fine, but I won't sleep if I'm worried about you falling onto the floor. So you sleep here and I'll just hold you up, yeah?"

Abby rolled her eyes, even though she knew he couldn't see that, and then turned in his arms to face him, shoving against his chest with her forearms. Even in the dark room, Connor could see the sparkle of merriment in her eyes. "Okay, okay, Connor, you win. Move over then, would you? And I'll scoot towards you a little bit."

Connor did as she asked and she kept her promise, settling herself further towards the middle of the bed. "Better?" she questioned, a hint of a chuckle in her voice. "Can you sleep now? And more to the point, will you let me?"

"Yeah," Connor agreed, "Much better." He settled himself down beside her and, to Abby's surprise, drew her close against his chest again, his arms retaking their place firmly around her waist. Even more, she was surprised to find herself completely relaxed like this and burrowing closer to him, relishing in his scent and touch.

Connor was right, she thought to herself. This was much better. As she closed her eyes and fell back asleep, she felt him kiss her hair and wish her goodnight.

* * *

Connor smiled to himself as he lay awake much longer than Abby had. It'd been a long and eventful day and he _should_ be exhausted, but he was too excited about everything that had happened to actually fall asleep. He hadn't gotten a chance to ask Abby what Gran had said yet but, for the moment, it seemed that whatever had made Abby all distant and quiet earlier had passed. He couldn't quite believe that she hadn't protested at all when he'd cuddled with her like this, but the best part of the day was hearing Abby tell Gran that they _were _together, sorta, and that she wouldn't ever date anyone else.

Suddenly a small wave of guilt washed over him and he squeezed her a bit closer to him, kissing her forehead again as he whispered quietly enough that she wouldn't wake up, "I'm sorry, Abs, 'bout that time I dated Caroline."

* * *

When Abby awoke the next morning the sun's rays were bathing the room in energetic warmness. It took her a moment to remember where she was, but when she did she smiled and snuggled back against the warm body behind her, feeling content to rest against the steady rising and falling of… she frowned and shot up, suddenly aware that Connor was not nearly as furry as the dog that must have taken his place at some point.

"_Maggie!_" Abby protested, sitting up on the edge of the bed, "Nothing against you and all, but where's my man?"

Connor nearly dropped the breakfast tray he was carrying at the reference to him and Abby blushed when she heard the dishes rattle and realise he was in the doorway. "And before you go and get any big ideas," she told him, "I was referring to Rex."

"'Course," Connor said quickly, but he didn't bother to hide his grin because, deny it or not, he knew she'd meant him. He sat beside her, shooing Maggie off the bed and away from the food, and handed her the tray of tea, toast, and strawberry jam, before putting his arm around her shoulders and kissing her ear. "Mornin' Abs."

To his delight, Abby protested his touch no more than she'd done the day before. She'd pushed him away for so long that he couldn't quite help it if he expected her to revert back to her old self at any given moment. For now though, she rested her head on his shoulder. "Morning. Have you been up long?"

Connor shook his head, "'bout an hour I guess, and I would have preferred to wait for you to wake up before getting out of bed, but me stomach was growling so much I was 'fraid it was gonna wake you."

Abby laughed as she took a bite of the toast. "Thanks for breakfast." She was amazed sometimes how he always seemed to know just what she would feel like eating in the mornings. It wasn't unusual for him to make her breakfast and he never had to ask. Another sign that he knew her better than anyone else.

He nodded at her and then cleared his throat. "I can answer your question too, if you like."

She frowned at him, "What question, Con?"

"The one you asked Maggie about where Rex is."

Abby shoved him playfully with a chuckle, "_Connor! _You know I meant you!"

Connor's eyes widened in surprise that she'd actually just admitted to that. The confession left him momentarily speechless, but then he grinned at her and said, "Well, anyway, I guess you figured out well enough where _I _am by now on your own, Abby, but if you wanna know where Rex is, I know that too."

"So tell me then."

"In the tub. Gran's giving him a bath."

"A bath? Rex?"

Connor nodded. "Yep, he uh… got into Maggie's food dish and…"

Abby interrupted, "He ate _dogfood? _Rex is an herbivore, Con."

"I didn't say he ate it, did I? Maggie was drinking her water and Rex was with her and sat in the bowl and it's like that food that has all the gravy stuff and it got all over his wings and feet and then he started flying around the house and tracking it everywhere so Gran caught him and stuck him in the tub."

"Was Gran mad?"

"No, she thought it was a bit funny actually. I offered to help her bathe him but she said she wanted some bonding time with our "Little Guy". Maybe best not to tell Rex she called him that; he thinks he's big and tough. Gran loves animals though and it gave her something to do."

Abby laughed then, "And how's Rex enjoying his bath?"

Connor shrugged, "He's staying put for her anyway. I think he kind of enjoys it, but he doesn't want to because he's being forced into it. I hope you don't mind but I rummaged in your purse a bit, Abby. I know that's personal but it was too funny and I had to find your camera to take pictures for you for your album so you wouldn't miss it."

Abby smiled and kissed his cheek, "I don't mind, Con. Thank-you, for thinking of it. Now, when are we going to that market?"

"Soon as you're ready, Abby."

Abby turned her attention back to her breakfast at that, hurrying her meal so that they could leave.


	10. Chapter 10

He was holding her hand again as they wandered through the quaint outdoor market, and Abby found herself glancing around at everyone wondering if anyone had noticed. Of course, they'd probably think nothing of it if they had. It wasn't as if anyone here knew either of them. Still, she almost kind of wanted them _to _notice. She used to be embarrassed by the idea that someone might think they were a couple, but not anymore.

Sure Connor wasn't the type of guy she'd normally have fallen for, and she was pretty sure she _had _fallen for him, but somehow his geeky awkward ways made him more endearing to her. Connor had trouble getting up confidence around women and yet he'd been making a surprising effort for her recently. It was as if he thought that _she _was special enough for him to fight for, to take risks for, even if it meant being shot down. And after all the times she'd pushed him away in the past, she knew he felt like every move he made on her _was _a huge risk now. She wondered how many moves it'd take before he realised she wasn't ever going to let him down again. And yet, she found she couldn't quite tell him any of that yet. Thinking these thoughts and vocalising them were two very, very different things. Once things were said she couldn't take them back without hurting him and she was too scared yet to make anything so completely official and set in stone.

"Abby, you're being quiet again," Connor said suddenly.

"Again?"

"Mmm-hmm. You got all quiet last night too. Thought maybe Gran said something to upset you. She didn't, did she?"

"No, Con, course not. She just said some things that made me think is all. Just because I've been thinking doesn't mean I'm upset."

"Only Abs, it was your rule not to think on this trip in the first place, as absurd a rule as that is."

Abby pulled her hand from his long enough to give him a playful shove. "Oh, You! Well alright, I did say that, didn't I? You know I meant not to worry and over-analyse things though, and I'm not doing that, really, completely."

"So what'd she say to you then?"

"Can't tell you. It was girl talk."

Connor grinned at her as he recaptured her hand. "Was it 'bout how handsome I am?"

Abby laughed, "Nooooo, but we could talk about that, if you like. Go on, Con, tell me how handsome you are."

"That's not fair, Abby, you're the one supposed to do that!" He whined a smile on his face though.

"Ah, but I don't want you to go getting a big head now, do I? So maybe I'd best just keep those thoughts to myself."

"Hmm," Connor grinned, "That would imply you think I'm very super handsome."

Abby smiled at him and then nodded seriously. "Yeah, Con, I guess I do. Handsomest guy I know." She supposed it didn't hurt to boost his confidence every now and then.

"Really?"

"Course. Smartest too, and funniest, and most caring. I'm a wee bit picky, Connor. I'm sure I wouldn't let you live with me if you weren't."

Connor beamed at her, his face red with both embarrassment and pleasure and he looked completely flustered about what to respond. Then suddenly, when words seemed to completely fail him, he surprised them both by stopping her in her tracks and, taking her face in her hands, kissing her hard on the lips. It didn't last long; in fact he released her almost immediately, before she even really had a chance to register what he'd done. He stood shock still in front of her, wondering what to do or say now to fix this and the thought occurred to him that she'd never let him touch her again. And then his brain suddenly registered that she was grinning at him still and he caught his breath.

"C'mon, Con," Abby laughed when he still didn't say anything,"I thought you were gonna take me to a jade shop."

He gulped and nodded and then took what felt like, in that moment, the biggest risk of his life by reclaiming her hand again after what he'd just done. She didn't pull away.

* * *

She'd been planning on buying something as a souvenir of their holiday, but Connor'd failed to tell her how much everything there cost. It wasn't like she didn't have any spending money, but it was slightly hard to justify spending a full week's pay on a statue the size of her palm. Still, the artist was quite talented ands he was rather enjoying looking at everything.

"Check this one out, Abs," Connor said, reaching for a tiny jade phoenix on the back of the glass shelf, and knocking over a handful of other ones with his sleeve as he did so. Nothing was broken, but they clattered noisily upon the glass in the quiet shop and earned them both a glare form the shopkeeper. Connor winced and Abby had to bite her lip to hide her chuckle because his clumsiness was just so… Connor. She accepted the phoenix he handed to her and watched as he hastily stood the other ones upright again.

"It's beautiful," she agreed, handing the bird back to him. She noted with a smile how gingerly he handled it when he put it back on the shelf this time. "I'll show you my favourite though."

She picked up a figure about three inches long and two inches high and handed it to him. "Stegosaurus!" Connor exclaimed.

Abby nodded. "They were always my favourite when we studied them in school. I hope I get to see a real live one someday."

She whirled around at the snort of laughter from behind her and saw the shopkeeper had his way over to hover behind them, obviously not trusting the duo that had just knocked over a bunch of his figurines.

"What?" she demanded, annoyed.

"Sorry, Miss, I didn't mean to overhear. But, you know they're extinct, right?" He gestured at the dinosaur in her hand.

Abby didn't really know how to respond to that and it was obvious she'd come across as a bit of a ditz (with a clumsy date on top of it, not the greatest first impression). She couldn't _argue _with him due to the secret nature of her job, so she instead decided to amuse herself by honing her acting abilities.

"Oh no!" she exclaimed. "When did that happen?"

Connor burst out laughing.

"Seriously, Lady? Are you for real? It was like a hundred thousand billion million years ago."

"Actually…" Connor began to correct, but shut up at a look from Abby who interrupted.

"Oh, such a shame! Poor spiky dinosaurs."

"Yeah, well," the man shrugged, obviously amused. "Look, you guys buying something or…"

"Yes," Connor said quickly, "We've just not decided for sure which one yet."

On hearing this, the shopkeeper's smile became much politer and he left them alone again. Abby turned to Connor. "I don't think I'm actually gonna get any, Con."

"Course you are, Abby. I'm buying you one."

"You are?"

"Sure, you can pick whatever you want and I'll get it for you."

"But Con…"

"I mean it, Abs. I want you to have one."

"Have you even looked at the prices?"

"Sure, but just think of all the money I saved on this trip by staying at Gran's instead of a hotel. Honestly, Abs, I really want you to pick something. Please?"

She grinned at him and kissed his cheek, knowing that it'd mean the world to him to have her accept such an expensive gift from him.

"Thanks, Connor. I'll treasure it then."

"I know you will," he beamed at her.

In the end she left the store with her stegosaurus in hand.


	11. Chapter 11

This time it was Connor's turn to be quiet and thoughtful while Abby and Gran chatted over dinner. Abby and Connor had made a hearty chicken potpie and Gran had complimented them on it, even though Connor knew from experience that Gran's potpies were far tastier. They'd also baked a chocolate cake for dessert and cleaned up well enough that Gran never knew about their little flour fight.

Abby and Gran were talking about all kids of things now, jumping from one topic to another in the way that Connor never understood how women could do. He'd stopped paying attention when Abby told Gran how she often got Rex to wake him up by tossing lettuce onto him in the mornings. Instead, Connor's mind switched back to the one thought that'd been running through it pretty much the entire day: _he'd kissed Abby!_

He knew it wasn't the first time, but the situation surrounding the first kiss had been a lot different and he'd assumed she'd only let him get away with it because she'd been so emotionally broken at the time. And perhaps this time she'd understood that it'd been his way of expressing his thanks after her compliments had rendered him speechless, but that didn't change the fact that she'd still been smiling afterwards and that she hadn't so much as given him a warning. He wondered what that meant. She'd said they were together, but she'd also said they _weren't _a couple. To be honest, he wasn't entirely sure what the difference was, but he was willing to worry about that later and just dwell on the fact that he was apparently allowed to kiss her.

"Earth to Connor!" Abby suddenly demanded, her voice breaking into his thoughts.

He turned to her, wide-eyed and apologetic, "Sorry Abby. What is it?"

"Your Gran's only asked you to pass the seasoning salt three times now, Con."

Connor blushed and muttered another apology, this time to his Gran, as he passed her the shaker as swiftly as possible. Gran chuckled. "Welcome back, Sonny. Off on Planet Connor were you? Or maybe Planet Abby?"

Abby blushed this time as well and then turned an even deeper shade of red when Connor nodded, "Yeah, guess I was. The second one." He'd already kissed her, so he had to be allowed to think about her, right? He glanced at Abby to make sure she didn't look mad, missing completely the smug smirk that flashed across Gran's face.

* * *

They crawled into bed at the same time that night and Abby didn't try to sleep on the edge again. Rather she grabbed his arm and pulled it firmly across her body, tucking herself neatly against him with her back against his side. Connor was happy about the fact that it was her that initiated contact this time, and he tightened his grip on her waist immediately, burying his face against her neck. He wasn't smiling this time though, and he was glad that she fell asleep quickly, because he couldn't long keep back the tears that fell simply out of his sudden overwhelming love for her. He also fell asleep shortly, thinking he wouldn't survive it if she hurt him again this time.

* * *

When Connor woke up in the morning, he found that Abby was already awake. She was still cuddled against him, but she was facing him now. At first he was confused because she seemed to be holding a very one-sided conversation, but as he fully awakened he realised that Rex had joined them and was perched on his left shoulder.

Connor shuffled, propping his head up on his elbow and knocking the lizard gently to the bed. Rex looked rather put out and flew away into the rafters.

Abby shook her head, "Connor! That was rude you know, me and Rexy were talking."

He raised his eyebrows, amused, "And I was supposed to just lie still until you were done?"

"Maybe."

"Well, sorry for moving. What were you talking about anyway?"

"Stuff. You didn't hear? You're right here and all."

"I was asleep, mostly. I haven't the foggiest what you said and even if I did I never seem to understand Rex's side of your conversations."

"That's odd, since I know you talk to him too."

"I didn't say I couldn't understand him when it's me and him talking Abs, just when it's you and him, see?"

Abby's eyes sparkled at his teasing as she shook her head and laid back on his arm. "Then I guess you'll just never know what we were talking about, will you?"

"I would if you tell me."

"He was trying to demand we get up, you know. So I simply explained to him this holiday wasn't _really _about him, it was about us, so he should let us sleep longer if we wanted to."

Connor was surprised at her admission, seeing as it was the excuse of the lizard that had convinced her to come on this holiday in the first place, but he knew better than to make a big deal of it. Instead he just nodded and asked, "And how'd he take that news?"

"Oh, he didn't buy it. Said it's always about him, he did."

Connor chuckled and dropped back lower onto the bed, resting his forehead against hers as he enjoyed losing himself in her laughing eyes. "Well then, I guess we'd better just have an extra long lie-in to teach him a lesson, yeah?"

Abby nodded and whispered, "Yeah."

Connor didn't respond this time though, suddenly feeling awkward at their closeness. He should probably pull back, he thought. His hand was resting on her stomach, playing a bit with the hem of her pyjama top, his forehead on hers, gently pinning her to the bed. He was too mesmerized by her eyes though to move away. After a long moment of gazing into them, hers suddenly shut, blocking his view and he wanted to protest until he suddenly realised that he was kissing her again. Now how had that happened? Had he really been so lost in her eyes he hadn't noticed such an important fact? _Connor, stop analysing this and enjoy it! _That his conscious was actually starting to sound a lot like Abby was the last thought that he let cross his mind before closing his own eyes too.

It was far different than either of the two previous kisses had been. For one thing, there was no good excuse for it that could explain it away if Abby demanded one. For another, she was actually kissing him back. Her hands were in his hair keeping him close and, for all Connor knew, she might have even intiated this one. He sure didn't remember doing so. He sighed happily and then broke away from her hastily as the loud rap came on the door.

Gran's voice floated into the room, "Surely you two can't be asleep with all that racquet! Why don't you let him out?"

Abby suddenly registered that Rex was putting up quite a fuss at the closed bedroom door, wanting them to get up still, and Maggie was barking on the other side wanting in to see his little green friend. She pushed her way out of bed and opened the door for the lizard, giving a sheepish apology to Gran.

Once the trio of interrupters were gone, she shut the door again and looked at Connor apologetically. "I guess it might be all about _him _after all."

"Unfortunately," Connor agreed, getting out of bed himself. "But don't tell him so."

"Wouldn't dream of it," she laughed.


	12. Chapter 12

Abby knew that she should feel guilty about sunbathing on the beach while Connor and Gran tidied up the brunch dishes, but Connor had absolutely insisted and she got the idea he wanted to have a private chat with his Gran, so she'd agreed. Now that she was out here enjoying the hot sun and listening to the waves crash on the shore, it was hard to feel guilty about anything. Anyways, it wasn't like she hadn't done ninety percent of the clean up after they'd made dinner the night before.

She let her thoughts wander back to the kiss they'd shared that morning instead. She wasn't completely sure that Connor had initiated it this time, although she wasn't sure he _hadn't _either, but there was no question in her mind that Connor had clued in well to her speech about not thinking on this trip. She hadn't expected him to get that, and she definitely hadn't expected him to take so much initiative as he'd been doing, and he seemed to be gaining confidence every hour in regards to how he acted around her. She was loving every second it.

* * *

"Gran?" Connor questioned as he cleared the table.

"Hmmm…."

Connor hesitated and looked out the window to where Abby was relaxing on a beach towel in the sand, clad only in her bikini and sunglasses again. "Gran, what's the difference between being together and being a couple?"

Gran followed his gaze outside, an amused smile appearing on her face. "Well now, I thought _you _knew. Meself I haven't the foggiest."

"Oh."

"Funny that you asked though, as I've been wondering the same thing since you guys showed up here. I asked that girl of yours the same question the other day."

Connor turned from the window in surprise. "Did you? And what'd she say?"

"Well I probably shouldn't tell you that, but I guess I will. She said proper couples make it official by talking about it."

"That's it?" Connor asked incredulously. "We could do that! How hard is it to talk if you're already acting like a couple?"

"Perhaps harder than you think," Gran turned to Connor slowly, as if thinking how to advise him best. "You love her, don't you?"

"Course I do. Abby's too amazing not to love."

"And does she love you?"

Connor hesitated, remembering the conversation he'd overheard between Abby and Rex at the flat. She'd used the word then and she surely wouldn't be acting the way she'd been lately if Rex's answer had been 'no'. He nodded. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure she does. After all, I'm pretty amazing too, don't you think?"

Gran chuckled, "Well, that's debatable. But I think you're right. So then, you'll talk, and you'll make things official. Eventually."

Connor frowned, "Eventually?"

"She also mentioned she wasn't ready for a relationship just yet."

"Did she say _why _by any chance?"

"No, and I wouldn't tell you if she did."

"I think she's scared, Gran, and talking might make her less scared."

"Maybe."

"Can't you tell me what to do?"

Gran laughed, "No! Anyways, you know her better than I do."

"Yeah," Connor admitted, unsure as to what would be the best course of action. Well, he'd leave it for now, until his mind was made up.

* * *

Abby didn't say anything when Connor first approached her, and Connor wondered if she had fallen asleep out here in the sun. He knelt beside her and gently tugged off her shades to see if her eyes were shut.

Immediately she snatched them back. "Connor! Get your own pair!"

He blushed and rocked back onto his heels before sitting beside her. "Sorry, Abby. I was just checking if you were awake or not."

Abby sat up beside him and draped her arm around his bare shoulders. "Oh Con, you know you _do _go about things in the most complicated of ways sometimes, but it keeps _me_ entertained."

"Glad to be of service," he muttered, hoping it was a compliment. He glanced down at the towel she was sitting on and noticed she had her camera out again. "Abby, how many photos of this spot on the ocean do you have by now?"

She blushed a bit, "Loads I guess, but I had to take more today. Look at the waves, Con! Aren't they neat? Sea's really choppy today."

He followed her gaze to the water and nodded, "It does look neat, powerful really." Then he shrugged and grabbed the camera, "But how many did you take just_ today_?"

"More than you'll approve of," she admitted.

Connor flipped the switch on the back of the camera and started going through them on the small screen. After a bit he frowned and started going through them in reverse instead. "Abs, where are the ones from the other day, with the market, and the sheep… these are _all _of the waves."

"On other memory cards. I ran out of room."

"Abby, you've got four hundred and two pictures on here."

"Yeah."

"Of the same thing?"

"Possibly."

He raised an eyebrow, "Don't expect anyone to look at your trip pictures with you."

She laughed, "I'll delete some; I promise. When we're back home."

He smiled at her, "You don't have to as long as I don't have to look through all of them and act amazed at each one." He flipped the switch back to the camera setting and stood up. "Smile, Abby."

She did and he took a few of her, happy to have his Abby-in-a-bikini shots, but not so sure as he'd been a few days ago that he'd ever post them for his college buddies on Facebook. He kind of liked the idea of keeping her to himself now that he thought of it. When he sat back down she took the camera from him and held it far in front of them to get one of them together.

Connor smiled at her, "Now those ones I _do _want to see."

She promised to email them to his computer too and then leaned her head on this shoulder, changing the subject. "Con, is it just me or is it _really _hot out today."

"It'sreally hot," he agreed, "And a bit muggy or something. We should cool off. I'll make you iced tea if you like."

"I'd rather go swimming again if you're up for it."

Connor grinned at her, "Abby, I'm _always _up for swimming."

* * *

Her swimming muscles were tired and Connor was by _far_ the better swimmer, so the chances of her winning at the little game Connor had invented were slim to say the least, but she was determined not to go down without a fight. To be completely honest, Abby didn't even think the rules were fair. The idea was that whoever held the other person underwater for fifteen seconds straight, won. The problem was that they'd never decided on who was counting and the last time he'd popped up she'd thought she had had him for ten seconds at least, while he swore it was only seven. Connor's advantage in the water was a strong one, but he hadn't managed to win because Abby's years of martial arts had taught her many escape techniques. She rarely caught him, he rarely managed to hold onto her.

At first they'd made a rule that it was best of five, but hours later neither of them had managed to get a single point and so they said the first point wins. They were both having far too much fun chasing each other and hiding beneath the waves to care how long it took. Abby hoped that she'd applied enough sunscreen, but it was something she'd worry about later. Aching muscles and all, she actually never wanted to get out of the water again. She felt Connor grab her ankle and somersaulted under the waves with a laugh to escape his grip and hopefully push _him_ down instead.

* * *

Connor thought he'd finally won, but Abby swore it'd only been fourteen seconds and since he didn't really want the game to end just yet, he let it slide. The game continued for another hour as they darted deep in the green water, grabbing at one another. He forgot about the time and everything else but Abby, until he heard it. The distinct rumble coming from above the surface puzzled him enough to let go of Abby's waist intentionally after a count of twelve seconds. He popped his head above the water, kicking at Abby a bit as she grabbed onto his ankle to try and pull him back down. Abby got her way and he was under again in a moment, but he'd seen what he needed to and he shook forcefully free of Abby, darting away underwater while keeping an eye on her to make sure she followed.

He swam far this time, as fast as he thought she could handle, and he saw the puzzled expression on her face even underwater when he didn't try to catch her again. When he noticed her returning to the surface for a bit of air, he went with her.

"Connor!" she gasped out, breathing hard as she reached for his shoulders, not to push him under this time, but to give herself a much-needed rest. Despite the situation, he couldn't resist sneaking a quick kiss onto her cheek and she smiled at him.

"It's time to go back, Abs," he told her.

"But I didn't win yet!"

"_I_ was gonna win anyways, Abs," he chuckled. "I'm saving you from losing here, you know."

"Oh yeah?"

He saw the stubborn challenge in her eyes and knew that she was about to push him under again, but the peal of thunder that interrupted them, startling Abby, told her what he'd been trying to. "Like I said," Connor confirmed, "It's time to go."

* * *

Abby glanced nervously back towards the shore, but a wave crashed into them, making her swallow some water and blocking her view. She wasn't a huge fan of thunder on a good day, and she'd always learned growing up that being in the water during a storm was a really, _really_ bad idea. She clutched Connor tighter as a flash of lighting lit up the sky and tried again to find the shore. She panicked when she couldn't see it.

"Connor!" she yelled a bit, despite his nearness, almost panicking.

"It's alright, Abs," he tried to reassure her calmly, knowing that a panic attack in the choppy ocean was a really bad idea, though he was scared himself. "There, look that way, we got turned around a bit is all. We weren't paying attention and we forgot about the current and got too far out. We'll head back quickly."

Abby followed his gaze and tried to fight back tears. "Connor, it's… I don't see the shore."

"Well, maybe the waves are too big yeah, but it's that way, Abs."

A huge wave pushed them back in another direction, splashing up into their faces, and Abby got water up her nose which increased her panic as she clutched at him. "I can't, Con! I'm too tired."

It was far even for him, and he wasn't sure he see the shore either, but he knew where it lay mostly from the way the current and waves were moving. He wasn't about to tell her he didn't like this at all though. "It's better to stay underwater," he informed her instead, "Hide from the waves and the lightning, yeah? Hold onto me then, put don't hold me down if I try to swim up."

She nodded and he ducked underwater with her clutching around his neck.

* * *

Abby was normally one of the bravest people he knew, but he also knew that thunder had always made her a bit jumpy and being out of her element in the water far from shore and already tired had really frightened her. For once it was his turn to be the strong one, and he _would_ because she needed him. He ignored his aching muscles and concentrated on two things only, swimming underwater as fast as he could, and making sure that Abby was still holding on to him.

He was actually glad for the moment that she was hanging onto him. It made it harder, but he could swim faster even with her latched onto him, than she could on her own, so they were making better progress now. He popped up for air every now and then, and the third time he was relieved that he could see the shore that had been hidden behind the tall waves before. Abby noticed too and let go of him. "Connor, are you alright?" She sounded less scared with the shore in sight. "I could swim on my own now that I've had a rest."

Connor glanced around them and then nodded, "For a few minutes, Abby, just to give me a break, but then hold on again. And go that way." He pointed off in an angle from the way they'd been swimming at first. Abby frowned at him. There was a rocky outcrop they could swim too, she could see it now, but it wasn't any closer than the shore they'd been making for and it was further, a lot further, from Gran's house by land.

"Connor, why…"

"Because the tide's pulling that way a bit more and the waves will work with us. We'll walk from there Abs."

She nodded and they swam in that direction, Abby alternating between swimming on her own and hanging onto his neck.

It was over a half hour swim still before Connor tested and found he could just touch the bottom again with his eyes and nose still above the water. He could have sobbed with relief for his muscles. Abby'd been swimming on her own a bit, but he immediately reached for her and pulled her to him to give her a rest again. The last stretch had been very slow, fatigue nearly overwhelming them both, but especially Abby, and he felt like she'd barely been moving. He kept thinking that the sudden summer storm would diminish but it'd been raging full swing, and he knew that it was close when the lightning and thunder hit at nearly the same time.

"I can walk now, Abs," Connor told her, holding her against him. He knew it was still above her head, but it wouldn't be long. Abby buried her face into his neck, too tired to respond and he carried her the rest of the way to the rocks. Once there he clambered onto them, sitting on one of the lower ones, relieved to be out of the water. They rested in silence for a long time, pressing themselves as close to the tall towering rocks as possible for shelter.

Abby finally spoke first. "Connor, I don't like this storm. We need to find somewhere safer."

"We need to get back to Gran's," he replied, standing.

"It's gotta be a two mile walk, Connor. Maybe there's a cave or something we can wait out the storm in."

He hesitated. She was right, it was the safer option, but the chances or being struck by lightning were supposed to be miniscule, weren't they? "Abby, it's just, Gran must be really worried about us."

"Yeah, you're right," she agreed, so they set off for the house.


	13. Chapter 13

Abby wasn't happy about having to go back into the ocean, but it was the only way to the actual shore from where they were huddled against the rocks, and they could walk through the water without swimming here, even if they waves did keep knocking them over. It took only a couple of minutes before they were back on the dry land again. Or, not so dry land actually. The rain had seemed of fair less importance when they were already submerged underwater, but now it was even upsetting to her. They'd been in the water for far too long and they both just wanted to dry off.

Connor captured Abby's hand in his, comfortingly. When he glanced at her, she looked downright miserable and it wasn't an expression he'd hoped to see during this holiday. "Do you remember," he asked, hoping to cheer her up a little, "how I mentioned this afternoon that I'm always in the mood to go swimming?"

Abby nodded, wondering where this was going, and wondering where she was finding the energy _to _nod.

"Well," Connor concluded thoughtfully, "I'm gonna have to apologize for lying to you, Abs. It's currently the _last _thing I'm in the mood to do."

She did smile, slightly and for a brief moment, until another thunder-clap sounded above them and lightning lit up the sky that was prematurely dark with clouds. Her grip on his hand tightened a bit and he squeezed hers.

"How far is it, Con?"

He shrugged, "I dunno. Maybe two mile."

"I'm too tired."

He didn't think she was. Abby was in great shape and the muscles used in swimming were different. At least physically it shouldn't have been a problem. She was, however, emotionally drained and the storm was still setting her on edge. He let go of her hand, draping his arm around her shoulders instead so that she could lean on him.

"Just think, Abs," he promised her, "We'll make it home and dry off and have some warm soup for supper and then go right to bed and fall asleep, yeah? We're on holiday; we can sleep all day tomorrow if we want."

"Yeah," she sighed, "That sounds really wonderful."

The walked in silence for a bit longer, until the next flash of lightning hit a nearby tree that went up into flames before their eyes. Abby let out a shout and tried to bury her face against him, but Connor didn't let her. He wanted to keep her walking so they could get back the sooner the better.

"Abby, at that zoo of yours, did you ever look after the giraffes when you worked there?"

Abby looked at him, puzzled about the random direction he was taking with this conversation. Connor just wanted to take her mind off of the storm. It took her a moment to process the question, but when she did, she nodded. "Yeah, why?"

"Did you ever study them much? Ever thought about why their necks are so long?"

Abby shook her head, confusion written on her face, but it seemed to be working. She was walking and her mind was too busy trying to follow his train of thoughts to pay attention to the storm.

"For shame, Abs! Working with giraffes and all and you don't even know why they got long necks. Even I know that one, Abby. If their necks weren't so long, they wouldn't reach their heads!"

It took her a minute, but when she got it, she giggled. Feeling encouraged, he immediately launched into another one, "What did the sea say to the sand, Abby?"

"Last thing I want to think about, Con."

"C'mon, it's a good one."

Abby sighed, but he saw the amused sparkle in her eyes, "I haven't the foggiest."

"It didn't say anything Abs, it just waved."

This time she laughed outright, even if the joke wasn't really all that funny. He grinned at her and continued, "What travels the world over, but stays in one corner?"

She didn't try to guess, just looked at him expectantly until he blurted out, "A stamp! Knock, knock…"

She smiled and took the bait. "Who's there?"

"Ow!"

"Ow who?" she asked before realising suddenly that he'd actually hurt himself. He plopped down to the ground to examine his foot, having stepped on a sharp shell. It was cut up pretty good. "Oh, Connor," she sighed, kneeling beside him. She didn't like the looks of the cut, it was deep and dirty, but she didn't have anything to clean it with and they still had a mile to go. She stared at it in silence for a bit and then looked at him apologetically, "I don't know what to do about it right now, Con. I haven't anything to bandage it up with."

Connor thought a moment and then ripped the pocket out of swim shorts to cover his bleeding foot. "Can you find something to tie that with, Abs?"

She gulped nervously and nodded, heading into the ocean once more to find a piece of seaweed that was long enough to do the trick. When she had one she scurried back to the land as quickly as possible and Connor gave her a grateful smile, knowing that it'd taken a lot of effort on her part to go into the water alone. Once she'd done her best to tie the pocket to his foot, they began to walk again, but this time they paid far more attention to the placement of their feet. Connor was in a lot of pain and leaned on her, limping. Abby thought she should repay his gesture earlier by trying to cheer him up, but she didn't know any jokes that he hadn't taught her. She glanced at him and saw the pain in his eyes and couldn't take it anymore. Stopping him a moment, she reached up and this time it was definitely Abby that initiated the kiss. It was sweet and longing, but over far too soon because they both just wanted to get indoors. When she pulled away he was grinning at her again. "Something to help with the pain," she smiled. "I don't have aspirin to make it go away, but me dad used say that kissing things better works too."

"Definitely," Connor nodded the affirmative, "But I might need a second dose when we get home."

Abby laughed and promised he could have one.

* * *

When they did finally reach Gran's house again, there were three police cars and an ambulance parked out front and people shouting their names. Connor grimaced at Abby. "I told you she'd worry."

"I don't blame her, Con. We went swimming hours and hours ago and went missing during a storm. I'd be worried if I was sitting at home and you'd gone alone too."

"Yeah, I guess, but I just want dinner and bed. Now we're gonna have to do a load of explaining."

"I didn't say I was looking forward to it, Con. Just that I understood it."

They were spotted moments later and whisked into the house.

There was an hour of question answering before Abby was even allowed to get dried off and dressed. Connor was seen to in that way faster because of his injury, but it seemed that each individual officer wanted to hear what had happened three times over. They did let her eat a tiny bit while answering the questions at least, but she felt awkward just standing in the kitchen in her bikini. She was too tired to protest, just wanting to get it over with. Finally Gran got a bit angry on Abby's behalf and insisted that they let her put some proper clothing on before answering anything else and Abby gratefully slipped into the bedroom. She changed and dried off quickly and then looked longingly at the bed. She was exhausted. She changed again, this time into her pyjamas, and curled up under the blankets, ignoring the waiting coppers downstairs. If they wanted her, they could interview her in bed for all she cared, but until they came and forced her, she wasn't going anywhere. Rex floated down from the rafters to curl up on the pillow beside her, and she used her last ounce of energy to wish him goodnight before falling promptly asleep.


	14. Chapter 14

Abby awoke after what felt like a couple of hours when she felt the bed dip down beside her. She opened her eyes, but it didn't make much difference as the room was so dark.

"Connor?" she questioned.

"I'm here, Abs," he answered immediately.

"Where?" Her hand came up to feel through the dark air in the direction of his voice. A moment later his hand caught hers and she felt him kiss her palm before pulling the covers back and sliding carefully into the bed beside her.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you, Abby."

"S'all right. How's your foot?"

"Sore. It's infected. I'm not allowed to be on it really for a few days. They gave me some cream for it to help with the infection and said to take some over-the-counter painkillers, but honestly, Abby, I think your kiss worked better for the pain."

Abby chuckled as she moved to cuddle against him, "And did you tell them that?"

"Course not. I didn't want all the paramedics kissing me now, did I?"

She giggled, "You probably didn't have to worry about that."

"I was playing it safe," he protested. "But it is sore Abby, and you promised a second dosage."

Abby smiled, "Yeah, I suppose I did, didn't I? Well, you earned it, Con, for pulling me out of that sea. You're my hero today." She leaned up and pressed her lips to his gently, before falling back against him, resting her head on his shoulder.

Connor kissed her hair in return, cuddling her close. After a moment of silence, Abby whispered to him, "What time is it anyway?"

"Half twelve."

"Were they upset I didn't come back down?"

"Yeah, the coppers were. I was happy 'bout it. Gran went up to see what was taking so long, think she was worried. When she came back down she said you were sound asleep. The coppers wanted to wake you, said you hadn't signed some forms or something. I may have gotten a little angrier at them than is good, but Gran stepped in and stopped something bad from happening before I ended up in jail for hitting a copper or somethin' dumb. Then they tried to convince Gran to wake you and she said "Hell No," and that they could come back tomorrow if they need a signature. To be honest it's lucky we're not both in the slammer after a few things we said."

Abby smiled, pleased at his protectiveness of her. Still… "Connor, you know I'd prefer to have been woken than to have you locked up, or your Gran. But thank-you." She kissed his cheek.

"Only I blew it all anyway, didn't I, Abs? Seeing as I come in here and wake you up meself."

"Connor, there's a big difference between being woken up by a bunch of coppers for a needless interrogation, and being woken up by my best friend coming to chat and cuddle."

Connor frowned a bit in the dark, because even now after all the kissing she wouldn't refer to him as anything but a friend. 'Best friend' was nice of course, but it wasn't enough. He'd definitely have to have that talk with her at some point sooner than Gran's 'eventually' because all these contradictions between her words and her actions were enough to drive one crazy for sure. Not now though. The fact that she'd not questioned his lack of response told him that she was practically asleep again. When he felt her completely relax, he pressed a kiss to her forehead and then began to sob, letting all the emotions, fear, and pain that he'd pushed down for Abby's sake during the storm come to surface.

* * *

_They were back in the water again, but this time Connor hadn't given her the chance to hold onto him. He'd told her to swim fast and then he'd swam away, ignoring her cries. She'd tried to keep up like he shouted for her to do, but she just couldn't; she was too tired. He'd abandoned her like everyone else. _

Abby awoke with a start from the terrible dream feeling betrayed and hurt. She was so stupid for starting to trust him. It took her a few moments before she realised that he was at her side, sleeping and holding her tight. A quiet voice in the back of her head told her that he hadn't left her, it hadn't happened like that at all. Even if he _hadn't _been able to save her, the voice said, Connor would have drowned with her trying, and she knew it.

The voice in her head knew it anyways, and Abby herself would accept it come morning time, but her logic felt fuzzy and quiet at the moment and her heart was still clouded from the emotion of the dream and she found herself emotionally and irrationally acting upon her feelings as she pushed away from Connor and then slapped him hard across the face, twice. He woke up staring startled into her flashing eyes as she hissed, "How dare you?!"

Perhaps it was his stunned expression, or maybe it was the slap that she'd given, that finally put her at ease again. She'd have some explaining to do for sure and she hoped, but doubted, he'd let it wait until morning.

"Abby, I…" Connor sat upright and began wildly gesturing with his hands to express the question he was too confused to ask.

She shook her head; it was almost funny to watch really. "S'alright, Con." She tugged at his arm to get him to lie down again. "I didn't mean it. Go back to sleep."

He put his hand to his cheek where she'd hit him, "Doesn't feel alright, Abs."

"Sorry."

He lay back down, hesitantly, still touching his face gingerly and Abby hoped she hadn't hurt him too badly. "Con? I am sorry. Are you okay?"

He nodded, but his expression told her that he was worried and confused. She didn't blame him. In fact, he was taking it pretty well. If he'd woken her up like that she'd have been more than a little mad at him. She began to feel genuinely bad about it. He needed her to explain. "I just get scared sometimes, Con. I get bad dreams; you know that. I felt like you left me and I was angry and scared and betrayed; only it wasn't true."

Connor let go of his cheek and pulled her against him. "I'd never leave you, Abby."

"Yeah, I know. I'm learning it anyway. I'll get there eventually."

_Eventually. _There was that dratted word again. Connor hated it, but he couldn't do anything about it except make her promises he'd keep whether she believed them or not. He wondered how many promises he had to keep for her to trust him. Maybe there was some quota he had to meet. He could start making her loads of little promises that could be fulfilled on the same day and then he'd reach the hidden magical number and she'd trust him on the bigger ones. Or maybe it didn't work like that at all. Hell if he knew.

"What was it about Abs?"

"The dream?"

"Yeah."

She should tell him. She was a bit embarrassed by it; it was weird telling him what she'd dreamt about him, but she owed him that much at least after the way she'd lashed out at him.

"Oh Abs," he sighed into her hair when she'd finished telling him the details. "It'd never happen like that."

"I know, but I woke up as upset as if it had and I had to release that feeling somehow. If I bottle that stuff up, Con, it all adds up and gets worse and then I'll never trust you completely. I'm sorry I hit you."

"I can take it, Abby. I'd much prefer to be slapped than that horrid sounding other option."

She kissed him then. Said it was to make his face feel better. The kiss actually hurt a bit, but it made his _feelings _feel better. He'd never tell her it hurt. He didn't want to upset her and he didn't want her to stop.

He feel asleep wondering if Gran was right though. She might need more time before they talked after all.


	15. Chapter 15

When Connor woke up, he still felt tired. After such a long and tiring day the day before, Abby waking him up with a slap, and the fitful dreams he had after that, he wasn't surprised.

The sun was seeping in through the yellow curtains in the room, bathing the room in an energetic dark yellow light and preventing him from going back to sleep even if he was tired. Abby was still sound asleep wrapped up in his arms, and his face smarted something badly where she'd hit him. Twice.

He tightened his grip on her a small bit. Why'd she always have to confuse him so much? It wasn't the first time his dreams had been restless because of her. The slap itself hadn't upset him _sooo _much, not after he'd understood why she'd done it. He'd had dreams that had felt real before too and left him upset or scared in that moment he'd first woken up. No, what bothered him was the part afterwards, the part where she'd said that if she didn't let this stuff out she'd never learn to trust him and the part where she said she would get to that point _eventually._

He didn't understand why she couldn't trust him _now_. She _acted _like she did, most of the time, and as far as he was concerned he'd proved himself to her over and over again. He was loyal to her; he loved her and he figured she loved him too. She'd accepted him as family, so where was the trust? Didn't that come with it? He wanted to talk to her about it so badly. He wanted to have everything out in the open, to explain to her how much she was hurting him with her indecision about him, her inability to commit to him, but she'd outright told Gran she wasn't ready for that. So what else did he have to do to make her ready?

He glanced down at her sleeping form and placed a kiss in her hair. "Abby," he whispered, "I swear you're gonna be the death of me one of these days."

* * *

He didn't stay in bed for much longer. He couldn't sleep anyway, so he figured that he should get Rex some breakfast before the lizard woke Abby up too. He showered and hobbled into the kitchen, trying not to put pressure on his infected foot, where he was just chopping up a couple of apples when he heard Gran gasp beside him. "Connor! What happened to your face?"

Connor winced. He'd seen the bruising from Abby's slap in the bathroom mirror, but he'd been kind of hoping that, by some miracle or another, no one else would notice. He hated lying to his Gran, but he wasn't sure how Abby'd feel about Gran knowing, so he guiltily muttered something about being clumsy and hitting it on a door.

Behind him he heard another gasp and he whirled around to find Abby standing in the door frame looking visibly upset. "I'm fine, Abs," he said quickly, thinking perhaps she was upset by how it looked now.

"You're not," she said, shaking her head. "And you may as well tell her. Go on, Con, don't lie to your Gran. Tell her how horrible I am."

Well he had to now, Gran's attention had immediately piqued at that and Connor blushed. "Fine," he replied with a blush, holding up his palms in a gesture of defeat. "Sorry Gran, didn't want you to think I was beat up by a girl. Damages my reputation and all, you know. So maybe it wasn't a door I hit me face on, I guess I hit it on Abby's palm."

Gran's eyebrows were raised, "Should I be calling the cops on your girl, or assuming it was an accident?" Her voice was teasing and Connor knew that she had already assumed the latter. He glanced at Abby to see her reaction to being called 'his girl' but she didn't seem to have really noticed.

"It was sorta on purpose," Abby admitted, "Had a bad dream about him, and I hit him as I woke up, before it really sank in that what he'd done in the dream hadn't happened in real life."

To both their surprise, Gran burst out laughing. "Oh Dear," she said, looking Abby in the eye, "I did the same thing to my husband Cliff once. That was Connor's gramps. Do you remember him Con?"

Connor nodded, "Vaguely, Gran, but not very much. I remember he always wore a hat and kept sweets in his pocket and had a really loud laugh. I thought he was really tall, but, you know, I wasn't quite five when he died and everyone was really tall in those days."

Gran laughed, "Well, he was taller than both your parents anyway, but I daresay you're taller now."

"That's so weird," Connor muttered, thinking about it. "But tell us the story Gran."

Gran nodded, "I will, but let's eat first."

* * *

Abby had been struggling a bit to focus on the conversation. She knew that Connor thought she'd been shocked about the mark she'd left on his cheek, but she'd actually expected that. She knew she'd hit him hard. She also hadn't been that surprised when he'd lied to his Gran about it, that'd been for her protection and she knew that too. It was the excuse that had gotten to her, the one about hitting it on a door. Of all the stupid things he had to have said, why that?

She felt a bit better when she heard enough to know that Gran had done the same thing once though. So it wasn't _so _bad was it? Granted it wasn't _good, _but Connor didn't seem angry at her for now and Gran certainly wasn't. She ate her breakfast in silence and then sat in the living room while Gran pulled out a large photo album and handed it to Connor, "Thought you might like to look at some of these, see what you remember."

He nodded and Abby shuffled on the sofa to sit closer to him, eager to see the photos as well. Connor, however, kept the album closed for the moment. "What about the story Gran?"

"Well that's what made me think of the album. There's a photo in there of Gramps with his cheek all swollen from the day I did it. Now let me tell you that it was the craziest dream. We'd already been married for thirty years when I dreamt it and your Gramps had a great sense of humour or I'd never have convinced him to pose. In the dream I was tending to my prize-winning rose bush and your gramps decided to plant broccoli there instead so he ripped it out."

"Gran, you garden?"

"Pfftt! Not on your life, I told you it was a crazy dream didn't I?"

"So you woke up and slapped Gramps?"

"I did; punched him actually, he was still awake at the time, reading a book. I punched him hard and told him that I hate broccoli. He grabbed my wrist and told me to wake up, but the thing was, I was already awake. I knew what I was doing; I was just so overcome with anger that I wasn't processing reason and the fact that it was a only dream after all."

"And where's the photo?"

"Right near the front I believe."

Connor flipped open the album and found it quickly. Gramps was standing in front of a door, a twinkle in his eye and a very swollen jaw. Connor's eyes widened as he turned to Gran. "You did _that?" _

"And what's that supposed to mean? You don't think I'm strong enough?" she teased.

"I didn't say that!"

"No but you meant it! You'd better watch your mouth, Sonny or I'll have to prove it."

"No thanks, one bruise is enough," Connor laughed. "Of course you did that! Well maybe Abby can get a picture of me on her camera and we can put the two pictures together."

"That's a great idea!" Gran nodded.

Abby mumbled something about doing it later, though if she were honest, she didn't want to remember the incident. _They _may be good sports about it, but after Connor's little fib earlier, she was quite upset about it still. She tried to change the subject quickly. "What else is in this book?"

"Oh just pictures from around the time Connor was little on his visits to us, and a few others that are in there randomly."

Connor slammed the book shut again with a glare. "Gran, this isn't the album with all those photos of me in the bath as a baby is it?"

Abby's head shot up, hoping dearly that it was.

"Oh," Gran's mischievous smile said it all, "I'd forgotten about those. Well now, it just might be."

"Gran!" Connor protested, "We really don't need to see those!"

Abby had already snatched the book from his hands though, "I beg to differ, Connor, I think we do!"


	16. Chapter 16

Gran had left the room to make some tea, leaving Connor and Abby to browse the photos alone for a few minutes. Abby moved closer to Connor again as she opened the album, tucking her feet up beside her and leaning against his side.

He glanced at her with a smile. "Y'know Abs, we don't _really _have to look at all these."

Abby grinned, "Sure Con, but _you _know that I _really _want to."

He laughed. He didn't really mind her seeing the photos, not even the bath ones. In fact, maybe learning more about him would help her with those trust issues she seemed to have. Still, he reckoned, maybe if he was lucky he could get something out of this. "Fine, Abby, but if I'm gonna let you look at pictures that will give you full teasing rights for a century, I should at least get another kiss in return, don't you think?"

"I haven't exactly been opposing your kisses now, have I Con? If you want one, you can help yourself."

His lips were on hers so suddenly and aggressively that even though she'd known it was coming, it still surprised her. Connor kissed her hungrily, as though he couldn't get enough and it took her a few moments to recover enough to kiss him back. When she did, it was with an equal amount of passion.

It was Connor that pulled away first as he suddenly collected himself and realised that it was actually a bad idea for them to be kissing like this until Abby was willing to trust him and make their relationship status official. Otherwise it'd just end up hurting him too much if she didn't committ. "C'mon," he said when she looked at him questioningly. "Let's get these photos over with then."

Abby nodded and turned her attention back to the album. There were many photos of people that she didn't know and Connor patiently told her about each and every one, at least as far as he could remember. Gran came back and handed them each a tea, and then Connor asked her about a couple of the pictures he _hadn't _been sure of.

"Who is _this _baby, Gran?"

"That's Clara, you can't tell?"

Connor shook his head, "Nah, she's changed a bit since."

Abby glanced at Gran's turquoise hair. "She's the cousin that coloured your hair?"

"Sure is, Dear. She'll be an excellent hair stylist one of these days."

"I bet." Abby turned to Connor. "How do you think _I'd _look with hair your Gran's colour?"

Connor tried to picture it in his mind and decided that with Abby's gorgeous face, any hair colour would suit her really, and good thing too because he couldn't actually answer that question negatively with Gran waiting so eagerly to hear his response too. "Fabulous, Abs. Want me to call Clara up for you?"

Abby chuckled and Gran moved across the room to sit in her own chair, a satisfied smile on her face.

"Nah Con," Abby admitted, "I'm not as brave as your Gran."

"It'd bring out your eyes," he said coaxingly, thinking he'd like it on her, but Abby still refused and turned back to the album, flipping the page to find the bath photos that Connor'd been complaining about earlier.

"Awwwww," she immediately cooed, holding the album out of his reach as he tried to flip to the next page hurriedly. Even if he didn't _really _mind, he was sure as hell going to pretend he did for dignity's sake.

"He _was _adorable, wasn't he?" Gran piped up.

"Definitely," Abby agreed, a teasing smile on her face. "Just look at that teeny little Connor-bum!"

"Abby!" Connor protested, turning bright red.

"Aww Connor, I'm sorry. Don't worry, you're _still_ adorable."

Gran chuckled at that, "He sure is!"

"This isn't fair!" Connor whined, reaching for the book again. "If you're gonna look at these Abs, then I should get naked pictures of you!" His face turned an even darker shade of red when he realised how that sounded.

Abby's eyebrow shot up, shocked amusement written on her face and Connor stammered a bit as he tried to correct himself. "I meant, you know, in the bath!"

Abby tried not to laugh as she scolded, "Connor! That's not _any _better! Shame on you! Asking in front of your Gran too!"

Connor glanced at Gran who was watching with a clearly amused smirk on her face.

"Abby! When you were little I meant, not now, obviously."

She'd known all along, of course, what he'd meant, but suddenly the thought sobered her laughter and she shook her head a bit sadly. "My parents didn't take photos of us, Con."

He remembered the story of her mother using overly hot baths as a form of torture and grimaced. "Sorry Abs," he apologized.

"S'all right," she responded quickly, darting a quick glance at Gran herself. She found Gran was listening intently and curiously, the smirk gone. Abby didn't want any questions raised though, so she quickly turned the page again to avoid the topic. "And what, may I ask, are you wearing in this one?"

* * *

Abby had cleaned up the lunch dishes alone. It was the least she could do after Gran had made them a delicious cream of vegetable soup and homemade bread. Connor couldn't help because he was still staying off his foot. He and Gran were outside chatting about something or other while they waited for her to join them.

"She's damaged," Gran observed as she slowly eased herself down onto the porch step beside him. Connor was amazed that she was still able to do so. "I don't like to use the term for people, but something's happened to her that's broken a piece of her spirit."

Connor remained silent.

"Connor?"

He pinched his lips tightly together, pointedly ignoring Gran's comment about Abby. He didn't want to talk about it. Anything that Abby'd told him had been meant for his ears alone and he already felt bad for bringing up the photo thing in front of Gran as it'd been Abby's response that caused Gran to figure it out.

Gran sighed, reading him as easily as Abby sometimes did. "I'm not asking you for details, Connor, though I can see you know them. I just want to make sure you realise what you're getting yourself into."

"Already in it though, aren't I? Too late for warnings," he replied, breaking his silence and feeling a bit annoyed. "Do you have _any _idea what it'd do to her if I left her? Anyway, it's not an option. I love her Gran. I don't _want_ to leave her."

"I can see that plainly enough, Connor, but I can also see she's hurting you, and I'm _not _talking about that bruise on your face. You think I haven't noticed?"

He had actually thought that, but it wasn't important. "Yeah," he spat out, feeling suddenly angrily honest, as though it was Gran's clairvoyant words, rather than Abby's hand, that had caused the sting he felt. "Yeah, she does hurt me sometimes Gran. She frustrates me beyond belief, and I'm about tired of it, but what can I do? I've gotta live with that, because I sure as hell can't live _without _her!"

It was Gran's turn to be silent for a moment, waiting for Connor to calm down a bit. She knew her grandson well and she knew that it was rare he got this upset and he'd calm down quickly. She was surprised, however, when, instead of sobering up, his anger turned into bitter, frustrated sobs. She put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Oh, Connor, you've grown up so much since you've met her. Be mad at me then, for bringing it up, but it's better this way."

"Better for me to be mad at you?" he managed to ask, quickly wiping the tears from his eyes with the back of his hand, embarrassed at his outburst.

"You gotta let it out somehow, Kid, and I can take it. If you snap on her, you'll break her further. I don't know what's happened to her, but I can sense she's been through a lot."

Connor nodded, there was no point denying that much. Then he smiled weakly at his Gran. "Thanks, I did need that. But I still need to talk to Abby." Suddenly his determination to do just this won out as he made up his mind. "I have to at least try. She might not be ready, but I've gotta know where I stand. Damaged spirit or not, she's tough and she can take it."

"I know," Gran said, "I know you need to talk to her, it's exactly why I wanted you to vent to me first. Be careful, Con. If you hurt her, you'll hurt yourself twice as badly. I've been in love, I know it."

Connor pecked his Gran on the cheek, "I will. And now I think I'm gonna go sunbathe for a bit. Can you tell Abby where to find me? I wanna think a bit on what I'm gonna say."

Gran nodded and, taking the hint, she stretched her stiff knees and stood up to go back inside, wondering why young people couldn't just sit on chairs for these things.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: This is it.. the final chapter! I hope you all like it :) Thanks so much to all who reviewed!  
**

Abby walked across the beach to where Connor was relaxed on a semi-reclined lawn chair in the sand. They'd both changed back into their swimwear, but Abby had the feeling that neither of them would be up to swimming after their near-disaster the day before. As she looked out at the waves, now small and calm rather than the choppy ones of yesterday, she felt a pang of fear rise up in her.

Connor's gaze turned from the sea to Abby as she approached and he stretched an arm out to her, welcoming her presence with the gesture. When she was close enough for him to reach without getting up from his chair, he tugged gently on her forearm, pulling her down to sit sideways across his lap.

Immediately Abby wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face into the crook of his neck. He rubbed her back gently. He'd seen the look on her face as she'd gazed out to the sea and known what she'd been thinking of. He also knew that it wasn't healthy for them to avoid swimming just because of one lapse of judgement on their part. They should learn to be more careful and get back into the water as soon as possible and face the fear of it, but he wasn't feeling the bravest either at the moment.

"Abs," he ventured. "I think I'd better not do any swimming for a day or two. Don't want to wash off the cream from me foot."

Abby nodded gratefully, knowing as well as he did that the paramedics that had given it to him hadn't said a word about him not being allowed to get it wet. "Yeah Con, that's fine. I'll sit out too and keep you company."

"Thanks, Abby. Maybe we'll get the chance to go one more time before we leave, eh?"

"Sure, if we aren't too busy packing or something."

"I think we should, Abs."

She nodded against his skin, knowing that he was right. "Yeah, just not today. It's too soon."

"Promise we will, Abby?"

"Promise," she agreed.

Then they fell silent for awhile, simply enjoying each other's nearness. Connor wanted so desperately to bring up their relationship, but, despite having gone over in his head all the things he wanted to say, he hadn't planned out how he'd broach the subject to begin with.

It was Abby that actually spoke first, pulling back slightly to look at him as she randomly commented that he smelled nice.

Connor smiled at that. "Thanks, It's me sunscreen. Vanilla Cocobutter. The advertisement said that all the ladies would be attracted to it, so I guess they were right."

Abby laughed, "Well, I guess you'd better not wear it around any but me. Don't want all the other girls hanging off you too, do I?"

Okay that was it. They had to talk if she was gonna be making comments like that. He gave her a quick peck on the lips, savouring the taste just in case she denied him any more kisses after the talk, and then took a deep breath. "Abby, I've been thinking that when we don't think, me and you act a lot different than when we do."

Immediately he felt her stiffen in his arms, all her guards and walls flying quickly back into place. The intensity of her reaction hurt him and he longed to just leave it at that and change the subject for her sake, but the same hurt told him that he had to do this for both of them.

"You're not supposed to be thinking, Con," she replied, half-jokingly, half-accusingly. "So forget about it, yeah?"

He shook his head and gently ran the back of his hand along her arm, hoping she'd relax a little. "Can't Abby. I think it's something we need to talk about."

She froze completely then, fear clouding her eyes, and suddenly she pushed herself up out of his arms. "I'm not ready for that Connor."

He stood up just as fast, ignoring the pain that shot through his foot as he jumped up onto it too suddenly.

"I know you're not, Abby!" he protested, his frustration clear. He grabbed her wrist to prevent her from walking away. "I know you're not," he repeated softer. "But Abby, were you ready to discover dinosaurs and anomalies when that happened? Were you ready to walk two mile last night? Were you ready for every other thing that you've done in your life? I bet not! But sometimes things have to happen even if you aren't ready and they still work out fine. Can't you trust _me _enough to know that I wouldn't do this if I didn't know it'd be alright?"

She shook her head, clearly agitated. "I _can't, _Con. There's nothing to talk _about, _k? Just, thought it'd be fun to let loose and act like we've been doing, and I wanted to forget myself and have a bit of fun like this while we were on holiday, but that's it, okay?"

Connor dropped her wrist, her words hitting him hard. He wasn't sure if he was more hurt or angry, but he nodded, his demeanour turning cold. "Yeah, okay, that's all I needed to hear anyways, Abs. Just wanted to know where I stood with you is all. Think I'll go for a walk, alone, to think. Maybe do me a favour Abs, and forget about the whole 'acting without thinking' thing for the rest of our holiday. It's not working out so well for me."

"Connor I…" her voice trailed off, not knowing what to say, but knowing she'd messed up big time. "What about your foot?" she finally finished lamely.

Connor's eyes met hers. "It's actually the least of me hurts at the moment Abby. Maybe the pain of walking on it'll help me forget the other pains. Tell Gran I'll be back for dinner."

* * *

Abby paced in the bedroom that she and Connor'd been sharing, berating herself. What the hell had just happened to that promise she'd made to herself about not hurting him anymore? He definitely had a right to be angry with her. She should've trusted him like he'd asked; Connor'd never given her a reason not to. She'd known all along that her promise to herself had included accepting a relationship with him if he'd pushed that point, and it wasn't like she didn't love him, didn't want him.

But she'd frozen and gotten scared and backtracked so quickly that all logical thoughts had flown from her head. She glanced out the window. He'd said that he wanted to be alone, but she was determined to fix this now while she still could. She slipped a white sundress over her bikini and stepped into a pair of white sandals. Then she grabbed a tee-shirt for Connor, as well as some extra bandages and his trainers so he didn't make his foot more infected then it already was.

* * *

It hadn't been hard to follow him; his footprints showed up clearly in the sand. She knew that with his foot injured as it was he wouldn't have gone far, and for a brief moment she was a little bit happy about his injury for that reason.

She hesitated for a moment when his prints ventured onto a more rocky portion of the beach where she couldn't see them any more, but looking up from the sandy ground that she'd been studying so intently, she suddenly realised that she could see _him. _

His back was turned to her and he was still quite a ways away in the distance, but he wasn't walking anymore. She watched as he stooped and picked something, probably a stone, up and hurled it as far as he could before reaching for another.

He didn't know she was there, she thought to herself; she could still sneak away and avoid the talk if she wanted to. She found she didn't. She was still scared, terrified, but she wanted to overcome that. She smiled. Between talking to Connor and getting back into the water at some point, it seemed that she'd be doing a lot of overcoming her fears on this trip. Well, it was time for that and if Connor could help her get over her issues for real, it really _would _be the best family holiday ever: far better than Jenny's could possibly be, she thought with a smug smile as she made her way across the rocks.

* * *

"Connor," Abby called gently as she approached. He glanced at her and then went back to smashing rocks to pieces against each other, but she'd seen what she needed to know in that glance. He was still hurt, of course he was, but he wasn't as angry and he wouldn't send her away. More than anything he looked defeated.

Abby picked up a rock herself and turned it over thoughtfully before grinning up at him, trying to break the ice. "I bet I could throw this farther than you. At least _as _far."

He didn't respond to her challenge. Rather he dropped the rock that was currently in his hand and turned to her. "What're you doing here, Abs?"

She held the white plastic bag she carried out to him. "I brought your shoes. You're not supposed to be on that foot." It wasn't even close to what she wanted to say, but she wasn't sure where to begin.

Connor glanced at the bag, but didn't take it, opting instead to go back to rock lobbying. Abby watched, taking the opportunity to collect herself and decide what she was going to say. Finally she just touched his upper arm, stopping him mid-throw. When he turned to her, their eyes met and the hurt in his was unbearable to her, especially knowing she caused it, but she refrained from looking away.

"Alright, Connor, you want me to talk, I'll talk, but I need to say what I'm gonna say first."

"Pretty sure you already did that, Abby. I got the message loud and clear, thanks."

"Only I gave you the wrong message."

She saw the tiniest glimmer of hope appear in his eyes, and then she saw the way he quickly buried it, refusing to feel it yet. She had to look away this time, and when she did, she noticed that his foot looked swollen.

"Connor!" she gasped, "Your foot!"

"Forget it, Abby. I don't want to change the subject before it's even begun, not if you're actually gonna talk now."

"I'll talk, Con, I promise, but not while you're standing on that." She pointed to a large log a few feet away. "At least let's sit down."

He nodded his agreement to that, and limped over to the log. When they were seated, and he'd changed his bandage because Abby insisted on him not having the old dirty one on it a second later, she began.

"You lied to your Gran. You told her you walked into a door."

Connor looked at her quizzically. "What's that got to do with anything, Abs?"

"Nothing, and everything. Hit pretty close to home I guess. Thing is, Con, I've told the exact same fib a billion times myself. Used it every time my mum hit me when I was a kid. Teachers must have thought I was the world's biggest klutz when I was a kid. Either that or blind." She offered him a weak smile before continuing, "It upset me to hear you using the same excuse to protect _me. _Made me wonder if I was being abusive to you."

Connor shook his head vehemently. "Never, Abs! It was one slap, okay two, but hell, I _shot _you once so how bout we call it even, yeah?"

She chuckled softly at that. "Well, okay, if you're sure, that'd make me feel a bit better about it. But there's more than one kind of abuse, Con, and the way I've treated you, squelching your hopes all the time, that's gotta be some sort of emotional abuse. Really, you should be walking away from it all, and from me."

Connor gave her a very pointed look, "How d'ya think I got out here in the first place, Abs? Only you followed me, didn't you?"

"Guess I did. Wasn't quite ready to let you go."

"I don't want you too. Abby, I don't feel like you're abusive per se, I feel like you're scared and don't quite understand that I've got feelings that can break too."

"I get it, Con, I really do." She took a deep breath then and rested her hand on his shoulder. "To be honest, Connor, I'm tired of running from you. I'm hurting myself too. If you tell me what you want from me, I'll give it to you."

Connor sat quietly for a bit and then shrugged. "I'm not sure you _can,_ Abby. I want you to love me, yes, and I think you already do, but…" he trailed off.

Abby nodded, encouraging him, "Yeah, Con, I love you. Obviously that's not enough though, so what do you want?"

"I want commitment, Abby, promises. And I want you to trust me."

"That's harder."

"I know."

She watched him for a bit as he stared out across the rocks. She'd come here planning to give him anything he wanted, but she had to be sure she could because she couldn't risk hurting him again. After a bit she nodded, "Okay, Con. I promise. I promise it'll always be you and me, yeah? We'll be together; we'll be a couple even after the holiday ends. We'll move your stuff into my room, if that's what you want?"

He glanced at her. "And the trust, Abs?"

She hesitated and then nodded, "I can promise that I trust you right now. I'm afraid, Con, scared that I'll relapse at times and hurt you. How do you promise trust always? But I feel like I trust you now and I can promise that if I ever doubt you, I'll tell you and work through that together with you. I _want _to promise that it'll never happen, but I also want to be honest about it with you."

Connor beamed at her, "It's a pretty good start, Abs. I can live with it, for now. But we're just starting out together and I want our relationship to grow to the point where you can promise to trust me always."

"It will, Con. I want that too and I'll work on it, really work on it."

"Good," he grinned, seeming satisfied, even thrilled with her answer, and Abby let out a sigh of relief as she realised that they were okay.

"Yeah," she agreed, "but that means I'm your girlfriend now, Connor. You understand, of course, you'll be expected to buy me flowers and take me to dinner on occasion."

"I'd love to," he laughed, stealing a kiss from her. Then he leaned down and picked up a palm-sized rock, pressing it into her hand. "And you're nuts, by the way, if you really think you can throw this farther than I can."


End file.
